The Moon and the Stars
by ocramed
Summary: Serena becomes a different type of superhero... DISCONTINUED.
1. Part One: Introduction

**The Moon and the Stars – By DS Wynne**

*******

**Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon" and DC Comics' "Starman" (and others) belong to their respective owners.**

**Note: This is a fusion/crossover fan fiction.**

*******

October 8, 2003.

"Serena, you have a package!"

"Thanks, Sammy!"

As Serena turns away from setting up her new her telescope, she walks towards her brother.  She takes a look at the address and frowns.

"What's in it?"

"It's something from Dr. Ted Knight from America, Sammy."

"Oh, that's right.  He's the American astrophysicist that sponsored your trip to Opal City last year."

"Yeah," Serena replied.

Since the defeat of Sailors Galaxia and Chaos, there has not been a real need to be "Sailor Moon" full time.  In fact, for the past two years, there have only bee a dozen youma attacks.  Serena and the Sailor Scouts do get together for other things, but for the most part each Scout have their own lives to deal with.  For a long time, Serena felt directionless.  Sure, she and Darien could have gotten married and began their life together, but both realized that to do so would lock them to a destiny that neither Serena nor Darien was comfortable with the idea of pre-determinism.  Serena wanted more out of life, and Darien didn't want Serena to resent him for not allowing her to explore her potential later on in life.  Besides, according to Sailor Pluto, they were destined to be together in the end anyway, so why rush things?  So both agreed to cool things between the two of them for now, thus allowing Darien to go overseas for his professional experience as an Engineer.  

As for Serena herself, she was having a much difficult time deciding on what to do.  She tried cooking…she tried fashion designing…she even tried being a mime.  All three outings proved to be a disaster.  Depressed, Serena went to her friend Amy ("Sailor Mercury") Anderson's place and sulked.  While Amy went to bake some cookies for her friend, Serena noticed Amy's copy of "Popular Science".  Bored, Serena thumbed through the publication, until it focused on the heroics of Dr. Theodore Knight, a scientist who was once the popular World War II "mystery man" known as "Starman".  Serena was fascinated about the man's background, and how he created the so-called "Cosmic Converter".  The Cosmic Converter was perhaps the most efficient engine that converts solar energy into a fuel source.  At least, that was supposed to be the case until the man withdrew his designs from public scrutiny years ago.  The article then went on to indicate his last known residence as an astronomer at the Opal City.

Fascinated, Serena began to write letters to Dr. Knight, asking questions about his research.  For a while, Serena did not receive any responses.  However, her persistence paid off.  Dr. Knight not only answered her questions, but also encouraged her to "bone up" on her math and science.  So, for the next year, the two corresponded with each other; six months later, Serena accepted an invitation to become an exchange student at Opal Technical High School as a way to meet Dr. Knight in person.  She also met his son Jack, who was an aspiring "Curious Goods" collector, from whom Serena was able to get a first edition "Astroboy" manga, which was worth a few thousand dollars. Serena also developed a small crush on him, since he came off as the "cool rebel" type.  

At the end of the experience, Serena was dedicated to follow Dr. Knight's footsteps as a scientist, and got a phoenix tattoo from Jack's favorite tattoo parlor on the small of her back…but don't tell her parents.  Shh!  Also, before heading for home, Dr. Knight gave Serena a small collection of vintage scientific journals: "Paradigma", "Fate!" and a few others.  She thanked the Knight family, promising to return as soon as she is able.

Unfortunately, that promise was not meant to be. 

Shortly after her excursion, Serena learned of Dr. Knight's untimely death at the hands of an old arch-nemesis.  She cried for weeks before she renewed her dedication to become an astrophysicist in her own right.

Now…

"Uh, thanks again, Sammy," Serena said.

"Can I take a look?"

"Let me think about it, 'Kay?"

"Sure thing, sis."

After Sammy left, Serena sat the package down and opened it up.  Inside, there were two books, and envelope with her name on it, and a small, metal box.  She picked up the letter, opened it and read it.  It was a letter from Dr. Knight's son Jack.  Apparently, according to Jack, Dr. Knight wanted to give these books to her, but was not able to do so due to poor health.  

After reading the letter, Serena looked at the books.  One was Dr. Knight's personal journal and notes, and the other was a copy of a text called "Kitab al-Alaciras".  Then, she opened the metal case.  Inside was a pair vintage, World War II Royal aviation goggles.  She knew what they were supposed to be for, since she had seen Jack use them in action.  

With a sigh, Serena opened the Kitab al-Alaciras text.  As she did so, the pages gave off a slight glow.

"Oh my…Dr. Knight is right!  It really IS full of stars…"

Six months later…

The calm of the City of Tokyo was shattered, with a wave of youma attacks.  Four of the Inner Sailor Scouts were busy fighting off a few within the confines of Juuban Park.  What made these particular youma insidious was that these "youma" were shadow-like entities…entities that can possess innocent victims.

"Dang it, where's Serena?" said Sailor Mars, as she lobbed off a flame burst.

"Yeah!" Sailor Jupiter interjected.  "She should have been here by now!"

Jupiter gave off an electrical discharge, strong enough to successfully shock her foes.

"She'll be here!" Sailor Mercury replied, as she "froze" a few more youma.  "She didn't get the message until a moment ago."

Sailor Venus was having better luck.  Her energy blast seemed to have an effect on the youma.

"Well, Serena better get here soon.  I don't know if we can keep this up-"

FZZT!

A beam of moonlight rained down on a whole slew shadow youma.  The youmas' "skin" melted off the victims like oil on water.  Everyone, and everything, looked up to see a floating teenaged girl.

"Sailor Moon…" Artemis the Guardian Cat whispered to himself, who was hiding in the bushes when the youma attack began.

Sailor Moon, who was wearing her flight goggles, took out her data-gathering sensor, which looked like a modified personal data accessory (or PDA).  While holding her device in one hand, she held onto her "Cosmic Rod" (which looked like an elaborate "hooked" spear), which allowed her to float in the air.

"Hmm.  Anti-etheric patterns do confirm alternate origins.  In other words, these things definitely come from the so-called 'shadowlands'."    

"Serena, stop grand-standing, and do something!" Luna the Guardian Cat admonished, who was perched on Moon's shoulder.  "This is no time to be academic."

"Relax, Luna.  According to my readings, these things are easy to deal with."

Just as Moon finished speaking, the youmas took aim at her and fired off globs of dark matter at Moon.

"Hang on," Moon said, as she put away her device.  She then grabbed her rod, and batted each glob away.  "Guys!  Get cover!"

Nodding, the rest of the Inner Scouts dove for cover.

"In the name of the Moon, you will be punished!"

Sailor Moon began to twirl her rod.  Soon, it appeared to be a solid wall of light.  Soon after, a huge beam was released, bombarding the area.  When Moon stopped her attack, all the youma were normal again.

"Dusted!"

***

"Serena, what are you doing?" asked Lyta.

"I'm taking samples," Serena said, as she scooped up some residue of the youma into a small vial.  "Ami, as soon as I analyze the contents, I send the data over to your way."

"Okay.  I must say, you seem quite the scientist lately, Serena."

"Not really.  I can never be as smart as you."

"So…you are becoming… a NERD?" Raye mocked.

Serena rolled her eyes.

Since the day she studied her texts, Serena has "Awakened" to a whole new world of science called "Etherism". According to the Kitab al-Alacir, "ether" was the fifth element that made up the universe.  Any and everything is possible with ether.  In fact, she has only recently been inducted into a secret society of like-minded "Scientists" known as the "Sons of Ether".  Dr. Ted Knight was a member of such an organization until his nervous break-down in the 1950s, and had remained in seclusion from his Tradition's activities ever since.  The process of "Awakening" allowed Serena to "see" the very foundations of the universe in its true form, not unlike the mystics of old.  In fact, what Serena was learning could be called "techno-magic", or "the magic of the machines".  Recently, Serena has come into contact with Dr. Knight's former colleagues within the Sons of Ether, and has yet to induct Serena into the Tradition.  There is a college for "Etherites-in-training" locally, but she hopes to explore all she can of Dr. Knight's journal before making her presence known to them.

"So, that's your Cosmic Rod?" Mina asked.

"Yeah.  I built it based upon Dr. Knight's notes, but I modified it a bit."

"How so?" Artemis asked.

"Well, it converts solar energy into a fuel source, but it can also tapped into my star-heart for more energy."

"Serena, you should do that," Luna said.  "You don't know what could happened if you draw too much energy from it."

"Actually, I do," Serena replied, as she took out her PDA.  "I made the calculations myself, and Amy confirmed it."

"Amy?" asked Luna.

"Serena's right.  The converted solar energy acts like a buffer.  As long as she keeps track of the energy ratio, she'll be fine."

"Still…"

"Relax, Luna," Serena said, as she popped the youma samples into a "sub-space" pocket.  "It's alright."

"How…did you do that?" asked Lyta.

"Do…what?"

"Make that thing disappear."

"I picked up a trick recently at this dojo I'm taking a self-defense class from."

"Oh."

"RARRR!"

A lone shadow youma burst out of the bushes, determined to kill the leader of the Sailor Scouts.

"Serena!" everyone yelled.

Serena, without looking, picked up her rod and jammed it into the youma's stomach.  She then performed a reverse spin-kick, knocking the youma on its back.  Serena then put her goggles back on and jammed her rod into the youma…

FZZT!

"Wha…what happened?" said a distraught man.  Apparently, he was a victim of the youma, too.

Meanwhile, everyone else was shocked at how easily Serena took out the youma.

"Where did you learn that?" asked Lyta.

"From the same place I learned how to 'hide' things…at the Tendo-ke."

While this exchange went on, an elegantly dressed man, wearing a top hat, smiled.  Since the youma attack, the man observed the Sailor Moon's actions.  In fact, the man was the caused of the youma attack in the first place.

"So, Dr. Knight's legacy is assured," The Shade mused.  Since the death of his old nemesis and friend, the Shade wanted to be sure that if he ever becomes a villain again, both the Star Spangled Kid (a teenaged, superhero girl who is the member of the famed Justice Society of America) and Sailor Moon would be there to stop him.

Smiling at the thought, the Shade went back into the Shadowlands, glad that the future was bright indeed.

**Fin.**

**Author's note: Just another take on the Sailor Moon mythos.  Serena has decided to become a Scientist when she finishes college, but by the time that happens, she will have surpassed many of her peers.  In the meantime she has yet to choose which faction she wants to be a part of within the Sons of Ether.  Should she become a member of the Royal Ethernautical Society, aka an "Ethernaut" (an explorer of space…and beyond)?  A member of the Cybernetic Research Institute, aka a "Cybernaut" (a maker of tools and machines)?  A member of the Utopian League, aka a "Utopian" (radical Scientists with a Socialist bent?)  An ordinary "Adventurer"?  A Dissident (aka "Mad Scientst")?  A Progressivist (a reforming Scientist?)  The skies the limit.**

**Later!**


	2. Part Two: Interlude

The Moon and the Stars – By DS Wynne 

*******

**Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon" and other genres belong to their respective owners.**

**Note: This story takes place after the end of the original "Sailor Moon" series.**

*******

**"Prelude of Things to Come"**

*******

"Usagi?  Are you down here?" asked Ikuko Tsukino.

"Mmmm!" came a mumble.

As Usagi's mother walked down into the basement, she could see all kinds of gadgets and equipment.

I wish that girl clean up this mess, Ikuko thought to herself.  Then again, at least she's focusing on her life…

Then, a masked person pops up from underneath some equipment.

"AHHH!"

The masked person pulled off her mask and helmet.

"Sorry about that, Mom," Usagi said, as she pulled off her heavy gloves.  "You want something?"

"Yes, I wanted to let you know that dinner is ready.  So…what are you working on?"

"I'm trying to create a flash light that is powered by ambient radiation.  You know, the type of energy that is part of the solar energy spectrum."

"Oookay.  Well, dinner is ready, so get cleaned up."

"Yes, Mom."

Meanwhile, at Sailor Pluto's Time Gate, the Senshi of Time is reading an encrypted document that has recently alerted Pluto's attention.  It was a document that had Queen Serenity's royal seal.  What Pluto read made her blood cold:

**Subject: Voormas (aka "The Grand Harvester of Souls")**

**Place of Origin:  India, circa unknown.**

**The Dark Lord Voormas was a mage from the so-called "death dealers" known as The Euthonatos.  Specifically, this group believes that certain people need to "recycled" by way of the great "Cosmic Wheel", a doctrine heavily influenced by beliefs in reincarnation.  Individuals targeted to receive such a "gift" are the criminal, the insane or the seekly.  As a result, euthanasia is a favorite means to an end, though assignations are commonly used as well.**

**Voormas was one such member, who rose up the ranks of an unknown India sect, a sect that is listed as thousands of years old.  After becoming the head of his cabal, known as "The Heckler of Skulls", Voormas has set upon his most ambitious venture: to merge with the deities Shiva (destruction) and Kali (death), in order to bring about the destruction of the universe…after controlling the shard realm of Entropy.  This realm, which controls the mechanism of chaos and decay in realty, is key to Voormas' goal.**

**What is frightening is that Voormas is insane, and that he sees himself as doing a good cause.  And, unfortunately, he followers are growing.**

**May the shining Lady protect us in the dark days to come.**

**-Lila Dayspring, member of the Seers of Chronus, 438 SME.**

And then, there are the reports Setsuna has been receiving from her various contacts who dwell among the shadows:

**Monday July 28, 2003**

**150-Year-Old Man Seen at London Soiree**

**LONDON, ENGLAND -- Page two of the Times "Society" section today featured a**

**photograph taken at a recent black-tie dinner held by London's historic**

**Taurus Club. Identified as present in the photograph was none other than Mr.**

**Eric Baring-Gould -- a man missing and presumed dead since the winter of**

**1880.**

**Tuesday July 29, 2003**

**Mt. Etna Erupts Without a Trace**

**SICILY, ITALY-Europe's principle active volcano today baffled geologists**

**when Mt. Etna, located near Catania on the east coast of Sicily, erupted**

**without leaving a trace of residue. Several weather satellites and local**

**citizens with video cameras recorded a plume of ash sprouting from the vent**

**of the volcano throughout the day. The expected rain of ash, however, did**

**not materialize, and the Italian National Geological Council reported none**

**of the accompanying tremors typical of an eruption.**

**Wednesday July 30, 2003**

**Boston Mom Says Daughter 'Taken by Angel'**

**BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS-Six-year-old Valerie Mason has been missing for the**

**last 72 hours, after allegedly being abducted during church services in**

**suburban Boston. "She ran into the vestry during Mass," said 26-year-old**

**single mother Anna Mason, "and I chased after her to stop her." Ms. Mason**

**then related that an "angel" flew in through a stained glass window to "take**

**her little girl to Heaven." Ms. Mason has refused to answer any further**

**questions from police, claiming that Valerie is "with the angels now."**

**Search for the missing child continues. The mother has been admitted to**

**Harborview Psychiatric Facility for psychological evaluation.**

**Thursday July 31, 2003**

**NASA Calls New 'Red Star' a Comet**

**CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA-The National Aeronautics and Space Administration**

**(NASA) today issued a press release regarding the appearance of Stellar**

**Object #2001KX76, the tabloid-dubbed "Red Star" that recently became visible**

**to the naked eye. The press release stated that details were still**

**"admittedly inconclusive," but that the object is more likely to be a comet**

**than a self-sustained radiant object.**

**Friday August 1, 2003**

**Crescent Birthmarks Common in LA, Doctors Say**

**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA-According to sources at the Los Angeles County Board**

**of Health, doctors at area hospitals have reported an uncommon number of**

**crescent-shaped birthmarks appearing on female infants born within the past**

**two weeks.**

**Monday August 4, 2003**

**Yale Bible Scholar Murdered**

**NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT-Noted occult scholar Yves Darra was found murdered in**

**his office on the Yale University campus today. Recently Darra was working**

**on a new translation of the Dies Ignis, an apocalyptic text that some**

**believe to be the inspiration behind many of the images found in the**

**Christian Bible's Book of Revelation.**

**Tuesday August 5, 2003**

**Dead Man in Wheat Field Was Pro-Life Extremist**

**WICHITA, KANSAS-Police are still investigating the murder of Wendell**

**Delburton, whose body was discovered Saturday in a wheat field outside**

**Wichita. Delburton, a traveler with no fixed address, was impaled through**

**the throat with some kind of stabbing implement. Police say that Delburton**

**was a former Marine and pro-life activist, and that the killing may be**

**related to claims that he had been involved in attacks on abortion clinics**

**in 1997. Anyone with more information on Delburton's activities is urged to**

**contact the FBI.**

**Wednesday August 6, 2003**

**Chinese Grave Desecrator Feared Zombies**

**BEIJING, CHINA-A young man is under arrest for violating his father's grave.**

**According to authorities Deng Xiao-Min exhumed the body of his father three**

**days after burial and severed the corpse's head using his digging tools.**

**Deng apparently intended to re-bury the corpse but was caught by police**

**responding to a report of a disturbance at the graveyard. During**

**interrogation, Deng admitted that he feared his father would return from the**

**dead, so he took measures to prevent this. According to authorities, a wave**

**of such behavior has swept across much of China in recent weeks, although no**

**clear explanation for this sudden rash of desecrations has been forthcoming.**

**Thursday August 7, 2003**

**Israeli Incursion in West Bank Kills 24**

**TULKARM, WEST BANK-Violence continued in the Middle East today, as Israeli**

**military forces sought Palestinian resistance fighters in the West Bank town**

**of Tulkarm. Israeli attack helicopters fired rockets at several cars**

**believed to carry senior leaders of the resistance, killing seven and**

**injuring 46, while Israeli troops opened fire on protestors during**

**house-to-house searches, killing 17 and wounding as many as 35. Palestinian**

**authorities decry the attacks as "completely unprovoked," while Israeli**

**military officials insist that the Palestinians are harboring terrorists.**

**Friday August 8, 2003**

**San Jose Hi-Tech Fire Kills 10**

**SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA-A sudden electrical fire at Virtual Solutions, a**

**Silicon Valley research firm specializing in computer applications, today**

**claimed the lives of 10 of its employees. Local arson investigators were at**

**a loss to explain how multiple electrical fires could spontaneously occur in**

**the same building. According to company records and emails, the CEO was**

**attempting to develop a "virtual chatroom" to link all of the company's**

**computers with an undisclosed server outside the United States. An**

**electrical fluctuation allegedly caused several fires throughout the**

**building, which then spread throughout the facility in seconds. Special**

**consultants from the National Security Agency are set to arrive later this**

**week to examine "new angles" in the investigation.**

**Monday August 11, 2003**

**//intercept/source-GWNet//:**

**King Albrecht: It is my sad duty to confirm that the findings of the Grand**

**Concolation hold true in the Sept of the Anvil-Klaiven and all our allied**

**territories. There have been no instances of viable Garou birth for more**

**than a year. All children and pups born to Garou and Kin parents since the**

**winter solstice of last year have been ordinary Kin human babies or wolf**

**pups, and my sources tell me that Garou mothers pregnant with metis have**

**persistently miscarried. I concur that we must petition the Incarna for**

**advice.-Karin Jarlsdottir**

**Tuesday August 12, 2003**

**Pop Star Has 'Nothing to Sing'**

**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA-A concert headlined by the LA-based band Winter**

**Solstice ended prematurely last night when the lead singer, Tyria Winter,**

**stopped mid-song, mumbled, "I have nothing to sing," and stumbled offstage.**

**A spokesman for the band today cited "nervous exhaustion."**

**Wednesday August 13, 2003**

**Miami Woman Sues 'Orgy of Blood' Cult**

**MIAMI, FLORIDA-Local resident Laetitia Hawkins has retained counsel against**

**alternative-faith ministry the Typhonic Temple of Illumination. According to**

**her lawyer, Hawkins plans to testify that she was being groomed for**

**advancement in the temple's hierarchy, but once she found that its members**

**indulged in practices of dubious legality (key to the affidavit is an "orgy**

**of blood"), she asked to withdraw from the organization. Shortly thereafter,**

**its members detained her and physically assaulted her.**

**Thursday August 14, 2003**

**//intercept/source-SchreckNet//:**

**Beckett: I've uncovered the final portion of the ritual we discussed, but I'**

**ll warn you again that this is very dangerous. It will take a skilled**

**thaumaturge to enact it, and I'm not sure you qualify. Nevertheless, if you'**

**re ready to deliver the items I requested, I'll turn over my notes you can**

**decide for yourself. Contact me through the usual route.-Samir**

**Friday August 15, 2003**

**Detroit City Councilman Shot and Killed by Police**

**DETROIT, MICHIGAN-City Councilman Leonard Dates was shot and killed today,**

**after a stand-off with police at radio station WKNN. Dates had taken**

**captives and hijacked the station's broadcast, demanding that he be allowed**

**to read the biblical Book of Revelation on the air. Dates insisted that**

**Judgment Day had come and that people's souls would be claimed by the Devil'**

**s "monsters."**

**Monday August 18, 2003**

**LA Mormons' Angel Statue Stolen**

**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA-A routine police patrol today discovered that the**

**15-foot golden statue of the angel Moroni was missing from its lofty perch**

**atop the Los Angeles Mormon Temple. The statue, only recently restored to**

**its place following the disastrous Devil's Night earthquake, apparently**

**vanished at the height of a violent thunderstorm that swept the city last**

**night. Elders at the temple were shocked and visibly upset at the news but**

**have refused to speculate as to the circumstances of the statue's**

**disappearance.**

**Tuesday August 19, 2003**

**//intercept/source-rogue//:**

**The Tenth Seat of Horizon has appeared at a meeting of the so-called**

**reformed Council of Nine. Our emissaries demand the seat so we may defend it**

**against the Technocrats, some of whom attacked the very meeting in which it**

**appeared.**

**Wednesday August 20, 2003**

**Sharks Heading South Baffle Scientists**

**FALKLAND ISLANDS-The marine biology research ship Tethys today recorded the**

**passage of what appears to be a southward migration of sharks of at least**

**five separate species. Scientists aboard the Tethys commented that the**

**migration was unexplainable by current studies of shark behavior, and the**

**ship changed course to follow the migration and observe.**

**Thursday August 21, 2003**

**Israel Names Cult As Tulkarm Target**

**JERUSALEM, ISRAEL-An Israeli Defense Force spokesman today named a**

**previously unknown religious sect called "the Amkhat" as the target of**

**recent incursions into Tulkarm and other West Bank towns. An IDF dossier**

**released to the press accuses this cult of a wide variety of outrages, from**

**terrorist activities to ritual cannibalism. Palestinian Authority**

**representatives called the Israeli claims inflammatory, but insiders whisper**

**that the Authority has been trying to root out Amkhat for some time.**

**Meanwhile, Egypt announced that it was withdrawing its support from the**

**current round of peace talks, citing the Tulkarm incursions and "Israeli**

**fabrications."**

**Friday August 22, 2003**

**Hudson River Bargeman Killed by Rabid Wolves**

**TROY, NEW YORK-State Troopers investigating the derelict garbage scow May**

**Belle, found floating along the Hudson River last week, discovered the**

**mutilated body of elderly mariner Alluscious Henry, along with the remains**

**of three mongrel wolves. Today, the Albany County Medical Examiner declared**

**Henry's death a result of an attack by rabid wolves and alerted county and**

**state public health and animal control officials. Investigators also**

**uncovered some evidence linking Henry to a fringe animal-rights group called**

**the "Sept of the Green."**

**Monday August 25, 2003**

**Terrorists Attack New Egyptian Oil Pipeline**

**CAIRO, EGYPT-Private security forces last night repelled an attack aimed at**

**sabotaging the completion of the Apophis Pipeline, currently under**

**construction by Endron Oil. Endron officials confirmed that the pipeline**

**will be completed on schedule as planned and that security will be**

**redoubled. The identity of the terror group responsible remains unknown.**

**Tuesday August 26, 2003**

**//intercept/source-DiWeb//:**

**Citizens of Sleepytown: Responding to our nation's time of need, the**

**President and Department of Defense have reinstated compulsory military**

**service, better known as the draft. Every able-bodied male between the ages**

**of 16 and 30 is to report to city hall, where he will be assigned to**

**enhanced military training. Trained draftees will serve with allied forces**

**at NATO bases throughout the Western Hemisphere. God bless America.**

**Wednesday August 27, 2003**

**Immigrants Killed by Satanic Cult in Germany**

**BONN, GERMANY-Local police responding to a disturbance in the city's**

**warehouse district this morning discovered the bodies of 23 immigrant**

**workers slain in what one police spokesperson described as a "violent**

**Satanic ritual." All of the victims were arranged according to a complex**

**pattern laid in chalk across the floor of an abandoned storage facility, and**

**according to forensics reports, all of them were killed within moments of**

**one another. Sources within the police department revealed that a ragged**

**hole approximately three meters across appears to have been burnt through**

**the roof of the structure directly over the ritual site, but refused to**

**speculate on the cause. The perpetrators remain at large.**

**Thursday August 28, 2003**

**Pope Gives Doomsday Address**

**VATICAN CITY-His Holiness John Paul II today issued a papal proclamation**

**condemning the growing trend of violence, militarism, atheism and "pagan**

**idolatry" across the world. Although such declarations from the pontiff are**

**not unprecedented, his especially harsh language has worried several**

**observers. One Vatican insider told journalists, "In the past, His Holiness**

**has been a firm but benevolent advisor. This time he's speaking of Judgment**

**Day."**

**Friday August 29, 2003**

**Terrorists Kill 500 in Japan**

**OSAKA, JAPAN-A previously unknown terrorist group calling itself the Fifth**

**Age today released a nerve agent in a downtown office tower, killing over**

**500 workers there. The leader of the terrorists, a man known only as**

**Mikaboshi, escaped the police dragnet.**

**Monday September 1, 2003**

**Twin Tremors in Egyptian Desert**

**ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT-Researchers today reported strange tremors emanating from**

**the Egyptian desert. The quakes, not measuring more than 2.1 on the Richter**

**scale, seem to originate in two spots barely a mile apart, and as the**

**aftershocks from a quake in one location abate, a new one begins in the**

**other.**

**Tuesday September 2, 2003**

**Boston Area Firm Paying Dividends to Dead Men**

**BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS-Independent auditors hired to review the accounting**

**ledgers of investment company Moribund & Smirch today reported that they had**

**turned up a rash of acute anomalies. More than 100 of the company's**

**shareholders, who were issued dividend checks that bank records show as**

**having been paid, are recorded as legally dead, some for as many as 100**

**years.**

**Wednesday September 3, 2003**

**Corporate Execs Vanish**

**SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA-Market watchers and certain law-enforcement officials**

**are looking for the missing directors of international conglomerate Pentex**

**Holdings, sources say. Franklin Rubin, subdivision director of finances for**

**Pentex, was reportedly the only person seen leaving a Board of Directors**

**meeting called two days ago at an executive suite in the downtown Marriott.**

**When hotel staff entered the suite later that evening, they found none of**

**the other executives present. Rubin's office declined to comment.**

**Thursday September 4, 2003**

**Feng Shui Expert Vanishes After 20-Year Project**

**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA-Doctor Reiki Ozawa, noted expert on the Asian art of**

**feng shui, has disappeared from his $4 million home in the Santa Monica**

**Hills. Friends say that the scholar had spent the past 20 years "aligning"**

**and "adjusting" the furnishings in his home to compensate for "flaws" in the**

**surrounding landscape. He left a recorded phone message in which he declared**

**he had finally finished his 20-year project. Since then, no further evidence**

**of the missing scholar has been found, and police have no further leads.**

**Friday September 5, 2003**

**Tomb of Jazz-Age Socialite Vandalized**

**CHICAGO, ILLINOIS-In the third case of graveyard vandalism in as many**

**nights, the tomb of Chicago socialite Annabelle Sforza was dug up last night**

**by parties unknown. Ms. Sforza's skeletal remains are found scattered around**

**the Forest Lawns graveyard and her tombstone smashed by what appear to be**

**hammer blows.**

**Monday September 8, 2003**

**Egyptians Claim to See Bible Passage 'Floating in the Air'**

**CAIRO, EGYPT-Multiple witnesses reported seeing ethereal text floating**

**through the Khan al-Khalili in Cairo last night. The text, reported by some**

**to be in Arabic, others in Hebrew and still others in Aramaic and Greek,**

**seemed to be a passage from the Book of Exodus: "Stretch out thine hand**

**toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even**

**darkness which may be felt."**

**Tuesday September 9, 2003**

**UFOs in the Beltway**

**BALTIMORE, MARYLAND-911 switchboard operators today confided that UFO**

**reports have recently skyrocketed in and around the nation's capital. Over**

**1,000 people in the Tri-State area claim to have seen lights in the sky or**

**"alien creatures" roaming their neighborhoods.**

**Wednesday September 10, 2003**

**Chinese Province Quarantined for SARS**

**XINJIANG UYGUR AUTONOMOUS REGION, CHINA-Ministry of Health official Ming**

**Xian today reported the unfortunate death, from Severe Acute Respiratory**

**Syndrome (SARS), of Li Po Tze, investigator for the People's Armed Police.**

**Inspector Li, who came to the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to**

**investigate reports of sedition among the local bureaucracy, is the first**

**victim of SARS in the region and is thought to have been infected in Beijing**

**before his departure. If that is true, this case will be the first reported**

**since the World Health Organization lifted the travel advisory against the**

**Chinese capital. Dr. Ming has ordered a quarantine to prevent a new outbreak**

**of the disease.**

**Thursday September 11, 2003**

**Self-Immolation of Cardinal Shocks Vatican**

**VATICAN CITY-Surrounded by crowds of horrified sightseers and papal**

**novitiates, Cardinal Giancarlo Salvatore this morning immolated himself in**

**the center of St. Peter's Square after an impassioned speech proclaiming**

**that the end of the world was at hand. Declaring that "the gates of Hell are**

**breaking" and that "the Holy Church has fallen into the clutches of demons,"**

**Salvatore handed a document to a British tourist that he claimed would**

**reveal "the truth that [his] fellow Cardinals have been keeping from the**

**world." The Holy See has made no public comment regarding the Cardinal's**

**death, though the gates of the city have been closed to sightseers until**

**further notice. The whereabouts of the British tourist who supposedly**

**received Cardinal Salvatore's testament are unknown.**

**Friday September 12, 2003**

**Chicago Vampire Cultists Behind Bars**

**CHICAGO, ILLINOIS-More than a dozen members of a Chicago area "blood cult"**

**were arrested last night on suspicion of numerous charges including**

**kidnapping. The "blood cult" maintains that it existed to satisfy the whims**

**of its "dark mistress," whom its members insist is a vampire.**

**Monday September 15, 2003**

**Bayview Killer Terrorizes San Francisco**

**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA-Seven brutal murders have occurred within a**

**15-block radius in the Bayview area of the city over the past two months,**

**police sources confirm. The most recent victim was discovered Tuesday. All**

**the victims were killed in what police describe as a "ritual" manner, their**

**bodies drained of a considerable amount of blood, which was not found at the**

**scene of any of the crimes. The San Francisco Police Department informed**

**fearful citizens that it is following "all possible leads" in the case of**

**the so-called "Bayview Killer," but admits that it hasn't made much**

**progress.**

**Tuesday September 16, 2003**

**//intercept/source-proj-odyssey.com//:**

**Be advised that the Fomori Development and Training Facility #87-001 has**

**been destroyed. Review of satellite footage and other sources reveal that**

**the subjects rebelled and seized control of the arms depot, then proceeded**

**to ignite the facility's chemical banks, releasing a cloud of poisonous**

**fumes. Approximately 50 fomori have escaped to the nearby town of Burnt**

**Gallows, Texas and established blockades to keep the local population from**

**fleeing.**

**Wednesday September 17, 2003**

**Virginia Museum Linked to Bipolar Disease Outbreak**

**RICHMOND, VIRGINIA-Doctors at the Medical College of Virginia are reportedly**

**baffled by the dramatic increase in cases of extreme bipolar depression over**

**the last month. Theorizing a heretofore unsuspected epidemiological cause,**

**local authorities called in investigators from the Centers for Disease**

**Control and Prevention (CDC), who have uncovered that all patients had**

**visited a common location before first reporting symptoms of the disorder.**

**According to sources, the Poe Museum, near the popular nightlife district of**

**Shockoe Slip, had appeared in the dreams of each patient, prompting them to**

**visit the museum thereafter. The CDC yesterday closed the museum until it**

**can be fully investigated.**

**Thursday September 18, 2003**

**NASA Denies Spy Satellite Rumors**

**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA-Spokespeople for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory**

**(JPL) today vigorously denied allegations released recently on several**

**fringe websites and other alternative media outlets, which state that many**

**of the satellites recently launched to observe Stellar Object #2001KX76 (the**

**so-called "Red Star") are actually designed to monitor the global population**

**and tied to a massive crowd-control project dubbed "Ragnarok." They deny**

**that William Albacastle, named in several of the reports, has ever worked**

**for NASA or JPL.**

**Friday September 19, 2003**

**International Authorities Investigating Mysterious 'Ventrue' Cartel**

**VENICE, ITALY-A mysterious group of individuals known as "The Ventrue" has**

**been the cause of much consternation in the global finance community**

**recently. Although members of this hidden cabal are unknown, a rival bloc of**

**anonymous financiers believed to be centered in Venice recently issued a**

**communiqué to numerous national trade and securities commissions that**

**outlined a list of actions these "Ventrue" might take. Many of these tips**

**turned out to be true, and projected benefits to the "Ventrue" (using**

**hypothesized numbers) have been significant.**

**Monday September 22, 2003**

**Ballard Family Tied to Chicago Blood Cult**

**CHICAGO, ILLINOIS-Police today questioned members of the prominent Ballard**

**family on suspicion of association with the "blood cult," members of which**

**were detained previously. The patriarch of the Ballard family has proven**

**elusive, however, and is still sought for questioning.**

**Tuesday September 23, 2003**

**Terrorists Suspected in Gateway Arch Explosion**

**ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI-The famed 630-foot Gateway Arch was seriously damaged by**

**what some theorize was an act of terrorism. At precisely midnight last**

**night, a thunderous detonation echoed across Jefferson National Expansion**

**Memorial Park accompanied by an impressive pyrotechnic display. Bright**

**lights and subsequent explosions continued for several minutes, causing**

**serious structural damage to the national landmark. As of this morning,**

**police had the area cordoned off and were refusing to comment on reports of**

**upward of two dozen bodies found at the site. Clearly visible on the arch**

**itself were scorch marks, strange sigils and the word "Vodantu."**

**Wednesday September 24, 2003**

**Fatal Wounds Spell Out Ancient Text**

**BALTIMORE, MARYLAND-Visiting Nigerian Bishop Jude Bankole Kuti collapsed**

**today in the middle of a speech to local faith groups. Kuti died minutes**

**after paramedics discovered multiple lacerations on his skin, carvings of**

**Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew phrases. Six members of the audience reportedly**

**suffered similar but non-lethal wounds. Four fled the scene. Linguists**

**summoned by the city's medical examiners have translated the phrases into**

**fragments of Gnostic scripture dating from the 1st to 5th centuries AD. The**

**most common injury reads: "What binds me has been slain/and what turns me**

**about has been overcome/and my desire has been ended/and ignorance has**

**died."**

**Thursday September 25, 2003**

**//intercept/source-GWNet//:**

**I've met a Mokolé once before, so I guess you could have called me the**

**resident expert at the Sept of the Green. Even Mother Larissa wasn't too shy**

**to ask my opinion after the messenger had come and gone under flag of truce.**

**Too bad, I wasn't much help at all. I confirmed her impression that the**

**messenger was a young one, fresh from the Change even. But I wasn't much**

**help in deciphering his single message, which was a question: "What must be**

**remembered?" --Amy Hundred-Voices**

**Friday September 26, 2003**

**Mass Grave Uncovered in Atlanta**

**ATLANTA, GEORGIA-Civil engineers recently unearthed what appeared to be a**

**squatter colony in a sewer junction beneath the streets of Atlanta. Upon**

**further inspection, the subterranean structure turned out to be some type of**

**crypt, as bodies were found in extreme stages of decay and disfigurement.**

**Doctors suggest the makeshift tomb might have been a yellow fever (or other**

**epidemic) mass grave not unlike the ones found in nearby Savannah. Others**

**remain dubious, as the bodies seemed too fresh to have been buried at the**

**time of the yellow fever threat.**

**Monday September 29, 2003**

**//intercept/source-unknown//:**

**To Her Majesty Penangallan Queen Laiami Kai: It is the opinion of this**

**humble soul that the symptom you report has become widespread among the**

**Kuei-jin. Although none would report directly on such matters, several**

**mandarins and ancients are said to have called for the arrival of no small**

**number of mortals from whom they can draw Chi. As with your majesty, these**

**worthies have long been able to draw Chi from the air itself, so their**

**sudden need for living blood bodes ill for the Great Wheel. I remain your**

**dedicated servant.**

**Tuesday September 30, 2003**

**Lightshow in New Mexico Reveals 'Angels'**

**LOS LUNAS, NEW MEXICO-Residents of Los Lunas reportedly witnessed a fiery**

**light show in the skies over their city shortly after midnight last night.**

**Umberto Reyes, a local resident, claims to have seen three angelic figures**

**fighting "a winged monster" amid the churning clouds, using "swords and**

**spears of pure lightning." Reyes claims the battle raged directly over his**

**small farm, lasting from midnight until nearly 3:00 AM, until one of the**

**angels "split the monster open and pulled out its heart" with a resounding**

**thunderclap that shook local houses to the foundations. Authorities and**

**emergency services as far away as Albuquerque confirm that a sonic boom**

**shattered windows and knocked items from their shelves at three o'clock that**

**morning, but believe the shockwave was generated by a low-flying military**

**supersonic aircraft. Less easily explained are the cataracts that have**

**stolen Reyes' eyesight and the sudden hair loss that local health officials**

**say closely resembles severe radiation poisoning.**

**Wednesday October 1, 2003**

**//intercept/source-hunter-net.org//:**

**The sun is gone. But I have a light. The fire is coming for us all.- God45**

**Thursday October 2, 2003**

**Underground Collapse in New York**

**NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK-Three people were killed, dozens injured and traffic**

**was snarled in Midtown Manhattan when a half-block of 43rd Street near Times**

**Square collapsed early this morning. Several yards of the blacktop fell in,**

**overturning vehicles and releasing foul-smelling gasses. City engineers**

**theorize that the destruction resulted from the collapse of the so-called**

**"dragon's graveyard," the underground facilities for the New York Times'**

**decommissioned printing presses. In a disturbing side note, witnesses report**

**that thousands of sewer rats swarmed out of the fissures caused by the**

**collapse.**

**Friday October 3, 2003**

**Temple Mount Violence Kills 31**

**JERUSALEM, ISRAEL-One of the holiest sites in the world became a site of**

**religious and political violence today as Jews and Muslims clashed outside**

**the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. The Muslim mosque is built on the site of**

**the ancient Hebrew Temple and overlooks the so-called Wailing Wall, the last**

**remains of the Temple and holiest site in Judaism. Riots broke out today**

**after local airwaves were suddenly (and thus far, inexplicably) flooded with**

**a recorded message stating in both Hebrew and Arabic that, "The temple will**

**be rebuilt." Authorities say that Muslims at the Mount tried to eject Jews**

**from the area around the Wall, while Jews tried to enter the Dome of the**

**Rock itself. Thirty-one people were dead before the time authorities arrived**

**to quell the riot.**

**Monday October 6, 2003**

**//intercept/source-SchreckNET//:**

**I arrived in Damascus following the traces of that which I will not yet**

**name. They led me to the lair of Bistakh, the Kurdish daughter of Alamut who**

**has lived there since the Crusades. I found only ashes upon her sleeping**

**bier, and the smells of blood and desert sand lingering in the air. I**

**continue my search. --FaF**

**Tuesday October 7, 2003**

**Water Supply Spiked with Hallucinogens in Washington State Town**

**WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON-Local police and emergency departments were flooded**

**with over a dozen calls last night relating to unexplained sightings in the**

**city of Faro, WA, approximately 50 miles from Walla Walla. Officials have**

**traced the cause to a large quantity of hallucinogenic drug introduced into**

**the town's drinking water supply. Consultants from the Walla Walla Police**

**Department have not as yet identified the substance. A review of recorded**

**phone calls, however, contained similar testimony relating to "lights" and**

**"disembodied sounds" in the homes of Faro residents. The wide sampling of**

**similar reports suggests the same chemical affected all 15 witnesses.**

**Scientific experts will arrive in town this weekend to conduct further**

**inquiries.**

**Wednesday October 8, 2003**

**//intercept/source-GWNet//:**

**I accept the title Ard Righ in memory of Bron Mac Fionn, who died in battle**

**with the Banes of the Wyrm. Now is the time when all Garou must stand**

**together to face our enemies. I thus intend to pledge myself to the grand**

**alliance Margrave Konietzko has established for this very purpose. This is**

**the time to be counted! --Son-of-Moonlight**

**Thursday October 9, 2003**

**Upstate New York Mountain Man Surrenders Drenched in Blood**

**LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK-A man identified as Eneas Zoetope stumbled into an**

**Upstate New York town today, completely covered in blood and gore. He**

**surrendered to the authorities, saying only "Revenge is done. Now my sister**

**can rest." Police continue to question him as to who the blood belongs to**

**and where the bodies are, but all he has said so far is "Nunnehi."**

**Friday October 10, 2003**

**Chicago 'Vampire-Hunter' Escapes Federal Custody**

**CHICAGO, ILLINOIS-Federal agents of hush-hush Project: Twilight refused to**

**comment on the escape from their custody of Nathaniel Bordruff, whom they**

**apprehended two days ago. Federal agents refused even to confirm Bordruff's**

**identity, although local law enforcement officials were more forthcoming.**

**Bordruff himself claimed to be "fighting vampires," though members of the**

**recently exposed "blood cult" insisted that Bordruff himself was a vampire.**

**Monday October 13, 2003**

**Riots and Explosion Mar Spontaneous Indian Pilgrimage**

**CALCUTTA, INDIA-Indian authorities were all but helpless today as mobs of**

**people gathered along the shores of the sacred Ganges River, claiming to be**

**there to witness "the ascension of the demon avatars." The gathering turned**

**violent when, after attendees had waded out into the river, an explosion of**

**unknown origin rocked the scene. The crowd rioted, resulting in the deaths**

**of well over 100 people and nearly five times that number injured. Witnesses**

**claimed to have seen burning figures walking on the surface of the river and**

**four-armed avatars (described as manifestations of Hindu gods) attacking**

**people and drinking their blood. Indian authorities have declared a state of**

**emergency and imposed martial law in an effort to restore order.**

**Tuesday October 14, 2003**

**Radio Caller Warns of 'Monsters Among Us'**

**ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA-Before being cut off during a broadcast of the Charlie**

**Krongold Show, broadcast live on NPR stations nationwide, a caller**

**identifying himself only as "Bookworm" launched into the following tirade**

**earlier today: "They say the end is coming-and it is-but what if we can stop**

**it from really being the final, game-over end? We can fortify ourselves. We**

**can be good people. Lead by example. Monsters flourish like germs. If we**

**keep a good, clean environment, the beasts can't get a foothold. We've let**

**them go too long, and now the conspiracy is entrenched. But we can stop it!**

**Society can still heal. These don't need to be our last days. The tunnel is**

**going to be long and dark, but we can make it through to the other side. We**

**can find our virtue to stop the monst-"**

**Wednesday October 15, 2003**

**DC Blackout Lifts After Mayor Backs Down on 'Degenerate Cult'**

**WASHINGTON, DC-The nation's capital returned to calm-and daylight-this**

**morning, shortly after the mayor retracted his earlier comments that an**

**alternative religion calling itself the Church of Abaddon Ascendant was a**

**"degenerate cult," and further promised to protect the organization from**

**"persecution" by law enforcement agencies. The crisis began two days ago**

**when a police raid on the Church of Abaddon Ascendant's newly built temple**

**left 12 churchgoers and four police officers dead. That evening, an**

**anonymous caller reportedly phoned the office of the mayor demanding that he**

**and his officials "bow before the Ebon King who waits." Immediately**

**thereafter the city was plunged into inexplicable darkness, touching off**

**bloody riots that continued despite the declaration of martial law and the**

**deployment of National Guard troops, tanks and helicopters.**

**Thursday October 16, 2003**

**Ash Man Cult Murderers Still On the Run**

**GERLACH, NEVADA-Police have yet to announce arrests of the fugitive**

**religious cult members who attempted to burn victims alive at last weekend's**

**Ash Man festival. The famed annual counterculture event draws thousands of**

**devotees and tourists to a desert location outside Gerlach, Nevada. The**

**Bright Foundation, a religious organization based in Las Vegas, had been**

**using the event to recruit followers. Several regular attendees of the**

**festival left their homes and jobs to commit themselves to a "Family**

**Compound" in the Nevada desert. Spokespersons for the Bright Foundation deny**

**that their organization was involved in the violent incident, but federal**

**officials have convened an investigation of the group.**

**Friday October 17, 2003**

**//intercept/source-unknown//**

**An army, I say. An army of bakemono is on the march through Mongolia with an**

**ancient dead creature at its head. Dorbul the Brave, they call him, and they**

**have already overthrown the Tiger's Throat dragon nest. Only I**

**escaped. --Three Whispers**

**Monday October 20, 2003**

**Syrians Protest US 'Fanaticism'**

**DAMASCUS, SYRIA-Massive protests took place in Syria and much of the rest of**

**the Arab World today over US rhetoric that some have called fanatic. Syrian**

**government officials, speaking to the protestors in Damascus, decried the**

**"Christian fanaticism being spouted by America." This comes one day after**

**the newly installed American administrator in Iraq called his agenda in the**

**region "advancing the plan laid out for us in Scripture." Despite a stream**

**of communiqués from Washington arguing that the ambassador was referring to**

**Christian charity, sources inside the interim authority in Baghdad claim**

**that many top officials are now "reading Revelations for policy choices.**

**Tuesday October 21, 2003**

**Gases and Night Fires Follow Scottish Quake**

**ACHNASHEEN, SCOTLAND-The town of Achnasheen was the center of an unexpected**

**burst in seismic activity last night, registering 4.3 on the Richter scale.**

**Residents report sulfurous odors rising from the ground in nearby fields,**

**and several people claim to have seen greenish lights, like flames, on the**

**hilltops at night.**

**Wednesday October 22, 2003**

**//intercept/source-DWeb//:**

**Twelve of us have come from far, three of us dying on the scarred ground of**

**Bangladesh. We have but one message. Prepare, for Voormas has taken the**

**Realm of Entropy.**

**Thursday October 23, 2003**

**450 Die in 'Rain of Fire' in Jerusalem**

**JERUSALEM-Local residents and religious leaders were horrified last night by**

**a shower of sulfurous rock that left blazing trails across the cloudy sky**

**and caused untold damage among Jerusalem's holiest shrines. The rain of fire**

**and brimstone began at midnight and lasted until just before dawn, causing**

**fires and spawning clouds of noxious fumes that left close to 450 people**

**dead and thousands injured.**

**Friday October 24, 2003**

**//intercept/source-hunter-net.org//:**

**One minute the LA skyline was normal. Then it was just there. This massive**

**goddamn black shape. Like an old church, a Gothic cathedral, but enormous.**

**More than enormous. I think it was at least a mile wide, more than a hundred**

**stories high. It threw me, but I thought it was a vision or a waking dream,**

**something thrown at me by 'them.' Then I heard plates falling to the floor**

**beside me. I looked around, and the waitress at the café was just staring at**

**the building, jaw on the floor. She could see it too.**

**Monday October 27, 2003**

**LA Couple Says Daughter Abducted by Blood Cult**

**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA-Mr. Jonathan Cross and his wife Alexandra appeared**

**last night on local television channels pleading for the return of their**

**daughter Jenna, said to have been abducted by one of the many blood cults**

**now making the news. They describe her abductor as a bearded New Age guru**

**calling himself "Smiling Jack."**

**Tuesday October 28, 2003**

**Violence and Madness Grip OSU Campus**

**COLUMBUS, OHIO-The Ohio State University campus became a battleground**

**yesterday afternoon as two groups of assailants engaged in what appears to**

**have been a running gun battle, lasting a full eight hours. Witnesses also**

**report a variety of sights during the chaos, including the appearance of**

**such fanciful beings as dragons and elves. No sign of such beasts were**

**uncovered after the battle ended, but authorities are reportedly at a loss**

**as to the motives or identities of the combatants. Those arrested at the**

**scene are seemingly suffering from acute amnesia and deny any memory of a**

**battle, much less any fairy tale monsters. Sixteen people died during the**

**violence.**

**Wednesday October 29, 2003**

**Bloodied Man With No Pulse Escapes Detroit Hospital**

**DETROIT, MICHIGAN-A man reportedly staggered into an area emergency room**

**last night, covered in blood and claiming to have been attacked in the**

**night. Doctors found no vital signs when they conducted tests. His heart**

**rate was zero, and he did not appear to be breathing. When doctors attempted**

**to place the man in a secured facility for further study, the man grew**

**enraged and fought his way out of the hospital, vanishing into the night.**

**Thursday October 30, 2003**

**//intercept/source-GWNet//:**

**Do not come to the Wheel of Ptah caern in Morocco. The Garou there have**

**contracted the Red Death, a plague that resists their healing abilities. The**

**Red Death already spreads to your lands-do not seek it out.**

**Friday October 31, 2003**

**UN Authorizes World Advisory Council to Fight Terrorist 'Nine'**

**NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK-The United Nations Security Council today granted**

**extraterritorial law-enforcement powers to the World Advisory Council.**

**Staffed by members of the international intelligence, military and**

**scientific communities, the Council's expertise will be used to dismantle**

**the infrastructure of The Nine, a terrorist organization credited with**

**attacks worldwide. Advisors will assist global military and law enforcement**

**as well as manage member nations' detention camps. The demand for outside**

**assistance comes in the wake of the deaths of 54 FBI agents who attempted to**

**apprehend members of the so-called "Akashic Brotherhood." The cult is one of**

**many fringe cells that US State Department officials accuse of using**

**psychotropic chemicals and biological weapons to fulfill The Nine's**

**anarchist, apocalyptic agenda.**

**Monday November 3, 2003**

**Unexplained Solar Eclipse Baffles Astronomers**

**CAIRO, EGYPT-International authorities were today baffled by what they could**

**only call an "unexplained phenomenon" involving a total solar eclipse seen**

**in the Middle East. No eclipse was expected, since the moon's orbit does not**

**bring it directly in front of the sun for another two months, when an**

**eclipse is expected to occur across parts of North America. Nonetheless, the**

**event appeared exactly like a solar eclipse and obscured the face of the sun**

**as visible in Cairo, Alexandria and parts of Palestine, Syria and Saudi**

**Arabia. The "eclipse" lasted for just over 20 minutes, and was filmed by**

**numerous media outlets in the region, as well as by members of the Ashuki**

**Corporation. Though explanations have been offered, ranging from orbiting**

**space debris to a close pass by a "rogue" asteroid, experts have dismissed**

**these theories as "highly unlikely."**

**Tuesday November 4, 2003**

**Atlanta Billboards Warn of Doomsday**

**ATLANTA, GEORGIA-Atlanta citizens woke this morning to find billboards**

**across their city bearing the message, "The end of the world is nigh." All**

**these billboards were leased by a man who simply goes by the name "Violin,"**

**but sources say that the checks paying for their rental were signed by a**

**William Hannon.**

**Wednesday November 5, 2003**

**//intercept/source-SchreckNet//:**

**Cal: The weakness returned last night, worse than ever before and at the**

**worst possible time. I was forced into a meeting with one of the MacNeils,**

**and he obviously sensed that something had stricken me. Instead of leaving**

**me be, he pressed the advantage he thought he had, trying to get me to agree**

**to his terms. If he hadn't pushed me.Fuck it, that's the way these things**

**are. I woke up from the frenzy with his blood down my throat and his corpse**

**falling to ash between my fingers. It'll be hard to explain, but at least**

**the weakness has passed for now. --Tara**

**Thursday November 6, 2003**

**LA Gang War Takes Occult Turn**

**LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA-South Central Los Angeles suffered through a second**

**night of violence and looting last night as several gangs engaged in an**

**all-out battle for territory. Fires raged through many areas, but the**

**governor has yet to declare a state of emergency or call in the National**

**Guard, despite repeated calls from the mayor's office. Matters took a**

**strange turn when a local "shock-jock" radio host interviewed a supposed**

**member of one of the warring gangs. "We fight for Manishtusu," said the**

**unidentified man, "and all the fallen will bow before him in a pool of**

**blood!" Occult experts claim that "Manishtusu" is the name of a demon in**

**biblical lore, one that has been linked to no less than eight violent cults**

**in Los Angeles since the early 1930s.**

**Friday November 7, 2003**

**'Three-Eyed Prophet' Seen in San Francisco**

**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA-Weekend concert-goers at a music festival reported**

**seeing an itinerant prophet who promised "salvation for the children of Seth**

**and Cain" for those who accepted the "path of Golconda." According to**

**witnesses, the prophet had a third eye in the center of her forehead, as**

**well as hands that wept blood from stigmata that appeared as she extolled**

**onlookers to "accept the path."**

**Monday November 10, 2003**

**//intercept/source-unknown//:**

**I have faced great difficulty in recent times crossing the Wall and have**

**meditated for three lunar cycles on the nature of Yin. Tonight, I enter the**

**Yin World to discover what lies behind these troubles. -- Mandarin Ch'eng**

**Hao**

**Tuesday November 11, 2003**

**//intercept/source-GWNet//:**

**The Walking Thunder Caern in Kenya is gone. I found the bones of all the**

**Ahadi who lived there picked clean, and some of the locals said there had**

**been a swarm of locusts, though locusts who eat Fera flesh is something new.**

**There was a single spirit messenger there, and all it said was, "It is**

** free." --Mephi**

**Wednesday November 12, 2003**

**Terrorist Bombing at NASA Hides Kidnappings**

**CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA-23 NASA staff members have vanished in the wake of**

**the firebombing of their offices and laboratories, officials reported today.**

**This is the latest instance of missing aerospace research personnel, joining**

**reports of similar disappearances in Kazakhstan, Ecuador and the offices of**

**12 aerospace industry corporations.**

**Thursday November 13, 2003**

**//intercept/source-unknown//:**

**Archbishop: I know very well there's no point in lying, so I won't. The**

**attackers were Black Hand, I'm quite sure. The one I cornered called you a**

**traitor. Conrad was wounded in the attack and so was I. I reclaimed my sire'**

**s blood. Judge me as you would. -- Bishop Andrew Emory**

**Friday November 14, 2003**

**'Sea Monster' Seen in New York's East River**

**NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK-Police dispatchers last night responded to over 300**

**calls reporting a "monster" by the Manhattan side of the East River. Various**

**reports describe the "monster" as having tentacles and being of**

**indiscernible size.**

**Monday November 17, 2003**

**CDC Baffled by New York 'Sea Monster'**

**NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK-Previous reports of the "monster" seen in the East**

**River might not have been out of line. CDC agents report that biological**

**detritus left in the monster's wake consisted of a never-before-seen amalgam**

**of necrotic flesh and fungus, in addition to an amount of as-yet-unspecified**

**biomatter.**

**Tuesday November 18, 2003**

**//intercept/source-unknown//:**

**Honored Queens: I was ordered by my father, the Golden Lion Emperor Chan**

**Jianglu, to travel to your courts under flag of truce. I was to request aid**

**against the unknown demon-hunters who have suddenly appeared in our midst. I**

**was to tell you of the siege they have lain on the court in Singapore, of**

**the burning of the Lexicon Club and other worrisome developments. I will not**

**do so, for it is now too late. The Kuei-jin of Singapore have been sent to**

**Yomi by these madmen, so I send only with a warning that you could be**

**next. --Alina Chan**

**Wednesday November 19, 2003**

**Man Appears Simultaneously in LA and Detroit**

**NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK-Executives at both Disney/ABC and General**

**Electric/NBC today denied involvement in the strange appearance of an**

**African-American man calling himself Dante in the live broadcasts of the**

**Monday-night football game between the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions,**

**and of the final episode of the live reality show Who Wants to Marry a Movie**

**Star? The man, appearing simultaneously to witnesses on both the Movie Star**

**set in Los Angeles and at Detroit's Ford Stadium, issued an enigmatic**

**warning to "everyone who knows the truth."**

**Thursday November 20, 2003**

**//intercept/source-GWNet//:**

**The Zmei Goluko has awoken from his slumber on the Taimyr Peninsula. He has**

**consumed the Black Spiral Dancers who awaited him and has emerged from the**

**earth. He heads south.**

**Friday November 21, 2003**

**//intercept/source- alt.conspiracies//:**

**It rained frogs last week in Alexandria. No shit. Hundreds of them, pouring**

**from the sky like a rerun of "The Bible's Greatest Hits." It began when an**

**unexpected storm came in off the sea, battering the coast and the immortal**

**Pharos harbor with torrential rains and high winds. But after the rains died**

**down, there they were-frogs, covering the streets, smashed into pulp on top**

**of cars. Hell, they even managed to take out a light pole.**

**And then, three days ago, came the snakes. Thousands of them, slithering up**

**through the sand in North Africa-even through cement and tile flooring, if**

**you can believe that. Already, I've gotten wind of reports of over 20 snake**

**and poison-related deaths. And now this. Earlier today, reports of swarms of**

**insects-locusts, I'll wager-began to drift into the various authorities and**

**news organizations in Egypt. Nobody seems to know where these bugs came**

**from.**

**So, the question you should all be asking yourselves is, "How come we on**

**this side of the world have to hear about all this from some guy on an**

**informal newsgroup?"**

**It kind of makes you wonder what else they aren't telling us.**

**Monday November 24, 2003**

**Radio Telescopes Pick up Growls in the Sky**

**ARECIBO, PUERTO RICO-Scientists at the world-famous Arecibo radio**

**observatory were today unable to explain the strange electromagnetic**

**interference that is causing strange displays in the night sky and**

**blanketing the airwaves with waves of sound that one official describes as**

**"a chorus of bestial growls and moans." Scientists at a recent conference**

**concurred that, whatever the source of the strange noises is, the strength**

**of the interference is steadily increasing. One official who did not wish to**

**be named insisted that he had been able to discern distinct voices and**

**patterns of speech among the cacophony of noise.**

**Tuesday November 25, 2003**

**Fire Sweeps Through Barnard College**

**NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK-As urban chaos continues to grip Manhattan, a**

**catastrophic fire swept through the campus of Barnard College last night,**

**destroying several buildings, including the library and its rare-books**

**collection. Investigators from the Fire Marshall's office claim that the**

**fire has exposed a complex set of underground facilities linked to the**

**college grounds. As many as two dozen people might have been living in these**

**hidden catacombs, which included elaborate sleeping quarters and other**

**facilities. Ashy debris is all that remain of the inhabitants of what some**

**recovered documents called the "Chantry of Five Boroughs."**

**Wednesday November 26, 2003**

**//intercept/source-hunter-net.org//:**

**Those who wish to assist me, stay out of the blood camps. There is nothing**

**you can do from inside. Stay on the outside to protect those who remain**

**free. Weaken the power of the blood drinkers. And wait for the fire to**

**start. -- Dictatrix11**

**Monday December 1, 2003**

**//intercept/source-Panopticon intranet//:**

**Be advised that Tradition-aligned deviants have successfully freed recently**

**Awakened detainees from a penitentiary in Woomera, Australia. Initial**

**reports suggest the prison guards surrendered rather than follow through**

**with orders to execute the prisoners. Panopticon operatives have attempted**

**to retake Woomera only to be repelled by lightning strikes that damaged**

**equipment but left agents unharmed. Communications suggest that 52% of**

**captured operatives chose suicide over surrender to the deviants.**

**Tuesday December 2, 2003**

**Hundreds Die From Rat Attacks in Calcutta**

**CALCUTTA, INDIA-Panic broke out throughout the city of Calcutta last night**

**when the rat population was seemingly driven mad from fear or illness and**

**began attacking humans. Hundreds have already died in the initial chaos, and**

**thousands more are expected to die from infection in the days and weeks to**

**come. Reports of "Rat Kings" are widespread among those who have endured the**

**attacks.**

**Wednesday December 3, 2003**

**Japanese Buildings Are 'Growing'**

**TOKYO, JAPAN-Eye witnesses and photography both report that the buildings of**

**Tokyo are apparently growing and changing on their own, through unknown**

**means. Crowds have gathered in awe to watch enormous skyscrapers grow taller**

**and more angular. The phenomenon might also be linked to a sudden tenfold**

**increase in the rate of violent crime throughout Tokyo.**

**Thursday December 4, 2003**

**//intercept/source-unknown//:**

**The freehold of Queen Karolinda is no more, and the queen herself is dead,**

**victim of a massive ghille dhu, nearly twelve feet in height, which came to**

**our lands sowing death and destruction in its wake. Green Man's Fever grips**

**the citizenry, and many more have died. Before it left, know that the ghille**

**dhu roared a message: "The last Gold Oath is broken, and the world is theirs**

**at last!"**

**Friday December 5, 2003**

**Texas 'Vampire-Hunter' Sentenced to Life**

**HOUSTON, TEXAS-Judge Donna Brandenburg sentenced "vampire-hunter" Ernesto**

**Gutierrez to life in prison Monday after a jury unanimously found him**

**guilty. Gutierrez murdered eight individuals between the years of 1997 and**

**2003, though none of their bodies have been found. Gutierrez was arrested**

**after an attempted murder during which his victim escaped and contacted**

**authorities. The victim testified at night, as she suffered from acute**

**hepatic porphyria (a.k.a. "Schere's Disease"), an allergy to direct**

**sunlight-likely the source of Gutierrez's belief that she was a vampire.**

**Monday December 8, 2003**

**Explosion Reveals Hundreds of Bodies in Michigan Factory**

**IRON RAPIDS, MICHIGAN-Local and national media today descended on the**

**wreckage of the Iron Rapids Manufacturing plant after a series of explosions**

**rocked the depressed steel belt town last night. Rows and rows of bodies,**

**all with wooden stakes driven through their hearts, were found in a variety**

**of windowless rooms, sources say. Law enforcement sealed off the area after**

**one Detroit-area station broadcast footage of several of these corpses**

**coming to life when the stakes were removed. Local resident Douglas Sands,**

**arrested at the scene, screamed, "I got them, Faye!" to the cameras before**

**being dragged away, apparently referring to his wife, abducted from their**

**home last March and never found.**

**Tuesday December 9, 2003**

**//intercept/source-radio broadcast 2.4 MHz//:**

**We don't have any electricity, except when Doctor Cole's generator works.**

**There's no running water, but we've got the river and a good filtration**

**system going. There's food-we grow vegetables on the rooftops, and we're**

**never going to run out of Spam and processed cheese. And we keep getting**

**bigger. Bit by bit, block by block.**

**We keep claiming ground, because of Lupe. She never stops fighting for us.**

**Never stops finding ways to keep out the monsters and the freaks and the**

**killers. And then there are her soldiers. She's trained them to find the**

**dens and hideouts; taught them to kill the monsters and stop them from**

**invading our homes.**

**Wednesday December 10, 2003**

**Population of Fog-Covered Roanoke, VA Disappears**

**LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA-The Lynchburg police station has been inundated by**

**reports from terrified motorists who report that the nearby town of Roanoke**

**has vanished from the face of the earth. Travelers on highway 220 report**

**that a strange, low-lying fog blankets the area. Cell phones will not**

**function in the region, and radios emit an eerie sound that witnesses**

**describe as the "howls of the damned." Several reports also included**

**sighting vehicles stopped at various points along the highway with their**

**lights on, doors open and engines running, but no sign of their owners.**

**Thursday December 11, 2003**

**Radical Group Appears in Black Forest**

**FREIBURG, GERMANY-Groups of villagers from parts of the famed Black Forest**

**have banded together to serve in a vigilante group calling itself the "Army**

**of the Wise God." Claiming to take leadership from a mysterious man named**

**" General Geoffrey," this group has ejected all national authorities and**

**held a series of lynchings of those they proclaim enemies. The bloodiest**

**lynching was of the entire population of a neo-pagan commune that had lived**

**peacefully in the Forest since right after the Second World War. The Army of**

**the Wise God branded the commune's members as "unwitting slaves of Samael**

**and Moloch" and executed them all, sending photographs and other grizzly**

**evidence to national media outlets.**

**Friday December 12, 2003**

**New England Town in Grip of Fanatics**

**According to the few residents who managed to escape, the small town of**

**Temple Corner, Maine has been invaded by a religious extremists. This**

**nameless group reportedly serves a woman named "Zhyzhak, Chosen of Green**

**Dragon" and uses a wild dogs and wolves in its rites. One escapee reported**

**that many villagers had been fed to these apparently rabid animals. He also**

**said he was given a message from the enigmatic Zhyzhak, one destined for a**

**certain "Albrecht."**

**Monday December 15, 2003**

**Atlanta Man Burns to Ash Under Dawn Sun**

**ATLANTA, GEORGIA-Witnesses reported that an unknown man was dumped**

**unceremoniously in a Midtown park a few minutes before sunrise this morning.**

**The man was bound and gagged. When onlookers came closer to help the man, he**

**screamed incoherently. As the sun rose, the man burst into flame. The flames**

**consumed him quickly, reportedly leaving only a pile of ash no more than a**

**minute afterward.**

**Tuesday December 16, 2003**

**//intercept/source-GWNet//:**

**It rode out above Jerusalem in broad daylight. The Maeljin Incarna**

**Hellbringer and none other. It is heading northwest, toward the**

**Margrave. --Exalted-of-Gaia**

**Wednesday December 17, 2003**

**Royal Speech Sparks Vigilantism**

**LONDON, ENGLAND-In a pronouncement made from the Tower of London to address**

**the fears resulting from a series of recent purported "hauntings," the**

**Prince of Wales last night called on the population to take to the streets**

**to defend their nation. "Britannia will always protect us," he said, "but**

**she hungers." In the aftermath, dozens of vigilante gangs built wicker men**

**all over the city. Hundreds of looters and vandals were captured and**

**imprisoned inside the effigies and burned to death. Sources inside**

**Buckingham Palace say that the strange pronouncement was written in**

**consultation with a previously unknown society called the Harbingers of**

**Avalon, who some claim are tied to the Knights Templar.**

**Thursday December 18, 2003**

**Mexico City Gripped by Chaos and Mass Disappearances**

**PUEBLA, MEXICO-"The graveyards have given up their dead!" is the cry**

**repeated over and over for the last three days, by a hysterical voice**

**speaking on Mexico City's Radio Joya, station XEJP. Phone service to the**

**city is out, and over-flights by the Mexican Army report that parts of the**

**city are in flames, but the streets appear deserted.**

**Friday December 19, 2003**

**//intercept/source-radio broadcast 10.7 MHz//:**

**I think all of us fought to keep things as they were, to save civilization**

**from the monsters and the darkness. But maybe that wasn't the point, because**

**civilization was where the monsters and the darkness came from-the things**

**that controlled us and kept us ignorant. What we fought to protect was the**

**same thing the creatures wanted to control.**

**Now it's gone. The monsters have been dragged into the light, and they have**

**to play on the same field as the rest of us. This isn't just our reckoning,**

**it's theirs as well. We're going from a corrupt and damaged world into**

**something new, and it doesn't have to be worse than this. It can't be worse**

**than this. Not if we're there, on the ground, helping it take shape.**

**I drove past a broken-down truck on the way up this hill, a man and a woman**

**walking away from it. I'm going to drive back down right now and find them.**

**Help them inherit the earth.**

**Soldier out.**

**Monday December 22, 2003**

**//intercept/source-SchreckNET//:**

**H: Yes, I've put Bell on the matter as a condition of his reinstatement.**

**Beckett is as good as ash. --Pascek**

**Tuesday December 23, 2003**

**Egypt Struck by Mysterious SIDS Outbreak**

**CAIRO, EGYPT-A mysterious and massive outbreak of Sudden Infant Death**

**Syndrome, or SIDS, has sparked panic and fears of an epidemic or worse in**

**Egypt and throughout parts of the Middle East. Over the past week, over 600**

**newborns between the ages of six weeks and less than 24 hours have died of**

**unexplained causes in hospitals throughout Egypt. Physicians and medical**

**experts say that while sudden and unexplained deaths do occur with some**

**infants, the breadth of this outbreak is completely unprecedented and may**

**represent an unknown infection of some kind. "SIDS is not a contagious**

**disease," says Dr. Mariq Hanoush of Cairo. "This epidemic clearly involves**

**something beyond simply random chance. Frankly, we're at a loss." Egyptian**

**authorities have declared a state of emergency and called upon the**

**assistance of the World Health Organization. The US Centers for Disease**

**Control and Prevention have also volunteered experts and resources to aid in**

**both isolating and containing the cause of the fatalities.**

**Wednesday December 24, 2003**

**'Vampires' Attack Parisian Crowd**

**PARIS, FRANCE-Members of a self-professed vampire gang known as the Sabbat**

**demonstrated the supernatural powers at their command last night. Before an**

**assembled crowd at a political rally, the Sabbat vampires proclaimed their**

**superiority over the "kine," and chaos ensued as the vampires attempted to**

**feed on human blood. Those present reported manifest "tentacles of**

** darkness," the vampires moving at superhuman speed and exhibitions of**

**superhuman strength, such as tearing a fire hydrant from its moorings and**

**flipping a police cruiser. Whether this was an elaborate prank or not**

**remains to be seen.**

**Monday December 29, 2003**

**South Pole Rocked by Earthquake**

**MCMURDO COASTAL STATION, ANTARCTICA-A powerful earthquake, measuring 8.3 on**

**the Richter scale, yesterday shook the polar plateau of Antarctica, opening**

**a crevasse some 30 miles long and half a mile wide. A Russian scientific**

**team crossing the plateau at the time is reported lost. In related news,**

**stories are trickling in from across the Southern Hemisphere of people**

**experiencing strange dreams the night of the quake, dreams of a shadowy**

**figure emerging from frozen ground.**

**Tuesday December 30, 2003**

**Strange Airship Broadcasts Enigmatic Warning to Paris**

**PARIS, FRANCE-A massive metal Zeppelin appeared above the city this morning,**

**transmitting messages to every radio, television and computer screen in the**

**region from a man calling himself "Czar Vargo, Master of the World." In what**

**he claimed was his "final message," Vargo offered emigration to a new world**

**of technological wonders for those who accepted his terms. "You denied my**

**overtures for peace at the beginning of the last century. Now is your last**

**chance. Accept universal brotherhood and join our hidden Utopia. Reject it,**

**and you reap the ruin of your own unreason."**

**Wednesday December 31, 2003**

**Bermuda Triangle Glows**

**MELBOURNE, FLORIDA-Satellite imagery, airplane over-flights and eye**

**witnesses all agree that the Bermuda Triangle has been visibly glowing for**

**the last week. This portion of the North Atlantic, defined by the southern**

**tip of the state of Florida, the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles, has long**

**been a region of strange phenomena, and oceanographers are at a loss to**

**explain the yellow light now bathing the area. Reports of ships being pulled**

**under the waves by huge tentacles, and of mythical mermaids swimming through**

**the phosphorescent water, are only adding to the mania surrounding the**

**phenomenon.**

**Friday January 2, 2004**

**//intercept/source- amenti.org//:**

**My dear lady:**

**I'm afraid that I, too, am at a loss. As per the council's request, I bent a**

**considerable portion of my efforts of late to the task of getting a hold of**

**Count Tjeby. As the Avenger knows, Tjeby has always been good about heeding**

**both the will and the call of the council, and I had expected this occasion**

**to be no different. After I had grown sure that conventional means would**

**simply not suffice, I endeavored to discern his location through mystical**

**means (which was, I assume, why you came to me specifically). What I was**

**certainly not prepared for, however, was the utter failure of those means as**

**well.**

**This turn of events leads me to a single, inexorable conclusion: Our**

**esteemed brother is no longer among the living. This would be no cause for**

**concern, but for the current state of affairs in Duat. If our old friend was**

**indeed forced into a death cycle now-with Neter-khertet the way it is-I fear**

**greatly what may have become of him.**

**Monday January 5, 2004**

**//intercept/source- hunter-net.org//**

**The time for our new world has begun. -- Witness1**

**Tuesday January 6, 2004**

**Italian Cultists Claim Responsibility for Kidnappings**

**PALERMO, SICILY-Members of the cult calling itself the Society of the**

**Nascent Flood today claimed credit for a mass kidnapping, claiming that**

**those abducted would be used to feed the thirsts of their undead masters.**

**Wednesday January 7, 2004**

**//intercept/source-radio broadcast 23 MHz//:**

**Help us! The sky has broken open over Ar-Ramadi and the sun is blotted out.**

**It rains blood and fire. Demons walk the streets and speak the name of**

**Vaniel, their master. Most of the population has been enslaved and made to**

**tear down their homes to build a grand citadel to the Dark One. They're**

**coming for me-**

**Thursday January 8, 2004**

**Island of Hawaii Destroyed by Volcanoes**

**HONOLULU, HAWAII-The island of Hawaii was destroyed today in a massive**

**explosion, as the volcanoes Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea erupted with more force**

**than even the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa. The eruptions are the latest in a**

**series of freak volcanic eruptions, as active, dormant and even presumed**

**extinct volcanoes across the globe erupt in full force.**

**Friday January 9, 2004**

**//intercept/source-unknown//:**

**Honored Bone Ancestor: In these darkest of times, I find the call of the**

**Hundred Clouds has grown so loud I can no longer ignore it. The cycle is**

**over. I move on. -Kuro-sama**

**Monday January 12, 2004**

**San Francisco Population Joins Spontaneous Rave**

**SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA-An unprecedented rave took place simultaneously at**

**nearly every location in the city last night, drawing almost every resident**

**into its wild revels. The so-called "Avatar Trance" was sponsored by two**

**groups, the Waydown Viktae and the Bay Area Bacchantes. Police and FBI**

**attempts to shut down the city-wide dance party failed completely, and**

**authorities were baffled by malfunctioning equipment and the "conversion" of**

**officers and agents to the ecstatic vibe.**

**Tuesday January 13, 2004**

**//intercept/source-GWNet//:**

**The Final Battle has arrived. Margrave Yuri Konietzko and Queen Tamara**

**Tvarivich call all warriors of Gaia to join with them to defeat the Wyrm at**

**last. Forces gather at the Sept of the Night Sky. Do not tarry!**

**Wednesday January 14, 2004**

**Last Words from Antarctica**

**The crew of the American Antarctic coastal station has vanished shortly**

**after a desperate email was dispatched to Washington, DC. The text of the**

**email was simply, "The blood gods are here." Communications with Palmer**

**coastal station have been similarly silent.**

Sailor Pluto sighed.  The signs were there.

The end of the world was fast approaching, and the Princess needs to prepare for the coming storm.  But first, Pluto needs to make special arrangements for her.

The next week…

"Mom!" Usagi yelled, as she ran into the kitchen.

"Usagi!  You shouldn't run into kitchen like that!"

"Sorry, Mom.  Anyway, I just got my letter to be accepted into the Aerospace Engineering program at the University of Montreal in Quebec, Canada."

"That's wonderful, dear!" Ikkuko said.  "My baby is finally growing up."

Meanwhile, Setsuna was going over various e-mails and letters she has been fielding.  So far, she has made contacts with a number of schools and magi, including the Dean of Hogwarts.  She hopes that once the Princess graduates from the secret School of Royal Ethernauts in Quebec, Usagi would continue to her mystical training beyond techno-mysticism.  After all, the Heckler of Skulls is to make his move on the tainted mystical Nodes in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in a few years. 

And if he does obtain those nodes, Japan will be the first to fall.

"May Serenity help us all," Setsuna mused.

**Tbc.**

**Author's note: The previous "news ticker" was taken from the White Wolf website's "Time of Judgement" section.  Since I like the whole end of the world scenario, and Sailor Moon is suppose to bring the world out of darkness, I decide to tie both scenarios together.  If Usagi defeats the Voormas, it will pave the way for her ascension into Neo-Queen Serenity.  That is, if she can defeat a foe that turns into a 9 foot demon with six arms with potent magics.**


	3. Part Three: Partners

Moon and Stars – By DS Wynne 

*******

**Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon", "Star Man" and "The World of Darkness" belong to their respective owners.**

**Note: This is a continuation/crossover story.**

*******

**"Partners"**

*******

Usagi Tsukino loved working on gadgets and things, especially based upon Dr. Knight's work on the cosmic converter.  As a result, she was built her own cosmic rod, modified to channel the power of her Silver Millennium Crystal.

Since then, she has used her "High Science" to help her in her fight against the occasional youma as "Sailor Moon".  Unfortunately, the Technocratic "Metal Dragons" have been interfering in her mission of late…

"Freeze!" said Agent Fujuhita, as he and his "Men in Black" trained their weapons on "The Reality Deviant".

Usagi, in her Sailor Moon guise, had just broken up a youma ring when the agents came to her door.

"I don't think so, Mirrorshade," Moon replies, as she took her rod, and aimed…

"NO!" said the lead agent, as he fired his weapon.  Using a Weaver spell, Fujuhita made sure his shot rang true.

BLANG!

With the rod shot out of her hand, Moon had to think up of something quick.

If only I didn't go out alone on this job! Moon thought.

Suddenly…

"Tiger BLAST!" yelled a voice.

BLAM!

Moon looked up.  There standing on a fence was a pigtail martial artist.

"Come on!"

Quickly, Moon picked up her rod, and leaped over the fence.

Agent Fujuhita then took out his "Tweeter" pistol…

BLAM!

A huge wave of sonic energy came barreling after the boy and Moon.

"Get down!" the boy said.

Moon and the pigtail boy took a dive, as the wave passed over the two.

"You okay?" the boy asked.

"I think so.  Say, who are you?"

"Oh, yeah.  My name is Ranma Saotome.  Sorry about that."

***

The Akashic Brother Ranma Saotome and the Son of Ether Usagi Tsukino quietly crept into the attic of the whorehouse, one of many establishments in the "Red Lantern" district of Tokyo.  They got a tip that a cabal of demonic cross dressing magi called "Kuen-Jin" captured their friend Konatsu, an ally of Ranma's friend Ukyo Kuonji.  Konatsu came from a clan of female dominated ninjas, which required even the males to appear as females.

"Hey, Nabiki, we're in," Ranma said, as he spoke into his wrist communicator.  Nabiki Tendo, the mercenary sister of his fiancé Akane Tendo (also a member of the martial arts magi Akashic Brotherhood), was a member of the computer hacking magi known as "The Virtual Adepts"; she was also an agent posing as a member of "The Syndicate" (a Convention member, along with the Men in Black' "New World Order"), an organization that uses magic to manipulate all things monetary, legal and otherwise.  She was able to acquire the tip through a mutual contact within the organization, and passed it off to her potential brother-in-law…for a price, of course.

[Understood,] Nabiki replied, as she spoke through Ranma and Usagi's telepathic plug.  [I have my "associates" ready to raid the place.  You have thirty minutes to do what you have to do, Saotome.]

"Gee, thanks," Ranma replied sarcastically.  "Usagi, how's it going?"

Usagi worked her diagnostic routine, trying to determine the places "nooks and crannies".

"Well?"

"I managed to use Nab's subroutine to determine several points of interests," Usagi replied.  "There's definitely a sub-realm here."

"And Konatsu's signs?"

"Undetermined, but I would guess that he is being held in that realm."

"Great.  Let's get to work then."

A short time later…

Ranma, now in his cursed form, and Usagi were dressed in sexy Chinese clothing.  They casually smiled, as they passed the other patrons and staff.

[This is so embarrassing!] Usagi said, as she smiled vacantly.  She would die if her friend Rei saw her now!

[And you think I'm not embarrassed?] Ranma-chan replied, as she smiled vacantly as well.

Then, Ranma felt herself being "goosed".

"Hey, baby!" said a man.  "How about some little loving?"

Before Ranma could say anything, Usagi sauntered to her partner.

"Sorry, sir," Usagi replied seductively.  "My…friend and I are on our way to a client."

Usagi did her best to convince the man of this, by kissing Ranma full on the lips.  Ranma's pigtail went straight as a rod.

"Oh, okay, but I'll be looking for you two later," replied the man with a wink.

After leaving the main foyer…

"Don't get any ideas," Usagi said.  "I just didn't want you to break the façade."

"…"

"Ranma?"

"Oh!  Nothing.  Let's just get this thing done."

When the two got to the basement, Usagi took out her tool kit from underneath her skirt.

"Where did you keep that thing?" Ranma asked.

"Don't ASK.  Okay?"

They came to a large oaken door.

"Well, we could just simply knock it down…"

"No need.  Let me see…"

Usagi examined the symbols, and fed the data to her Trinary computer.

"Well?"

"Hold on a second.  How's your 'Forces' rating?"

"Forces" was one of the nine aspects of Reality; "Prime", "Mind", "Matter", "Life", "Entropy", "Spirit", "Correspondence", and "Time" were the other eight aspects.

"Well, it's pretty high…"

"Good, 'cuz I need for you to charge the locking mechanism."

Usagi placed relays on key points on the lock.  She then took her cosmic converter and placed in Ranma's hand.

"Wha-?"

"When I give the word, channel your chi into the converter."

"Why can't you do it?"

"Because as each tumbler is disabled, I have to make sure that the wards won't 'trip"."

Usagi then did one final calculation.

"Okay…NOW."

ZAP!

CLICK!  CLICK!  CLICK!  CLICK!  CLICK-!

"Well?" Ranma asked.

"All the wards are still good.  Let's go."

After going down a long passageway, they noticed a body being suspended by fibrous wires.

"It's Knonatsu," Ranma said, as he went over to the ninja.  "Usagi, what's this?"

Usagi took a look at the connections.  She then noticed subtle alterations being made on the unconscious ninja.

"The Kuen-Jin are trying to change him into a full female," Usagi said, as she examined the elaborate Urn.  The wires were actually living tubes, not unlike arteries, that were used as a transport mechanism for the elixir that was within the Urn.  Usagi realized that Konatsu was being change on a bio-chemical basis.  "Already, his secondary characteristics are being changed."

"Is there a way to change him back?"

"I'm not sure.  This is very potent demon magic."

Gently, Usagi cut the connection, while Ranma held the ninja, severing the process.  She then took a nearby blanket and covered Konatsu's body.

"Can't we teleport out of here?" Ranma asked.

"No, the wards are still in effect.  We better-"

"Do nothing," said a voice.

Ranma and Usagi turned to see three "women" standing in the doorway.

"You are NOT going anywhere, magi," said the leader.

"You kidnapped a friend of mine, and you think that you can stop me?" Ranma yelled.

"Ranma!  Look, you better let us go, 'girl'."

"If you think you can get past us…"

Youma began to appear all over the place.

"Oh, I will.  Moon Prism MAKE UP!"

FLASH!

Sailor Moon appeared ready.

CHUNK-CLICK!

Now, with her Cosmic staff in hand, she was even MORE ready!

"Ranma, protect Konatsu.  I'll deal with these creeps."

Usagi put on her aviator goggles, took aim, and fired.

BLAST!

***

Over in the High Realm, Ranma and Usagi were visiting the Jade Emperor.

"Sir, can you-"

"No, young Ranma.  Your curse is part of who you are," the Emperor replied.

As the two left the Court, Usagi tried to cheer her friend up.

"Don't worry, Ranchan.  I'm sure we will find a way.  The Umbra is a big place."

"I guess so.  Say, you're going to go to school overseas?"

"Yeah.  I wanted to wait until I got the scholarship together before taking the offer to attend the university in Montreal."

At the University of Montreal, the Royal Ethernautical Society holds a program to train members of the Sons of Ether to be "Ethernauts" (i.e. space adventurers).

"Well, it's been a pleasure being your partner, Usagi."

"Me, too, Ranma."

As the two teleported out of the realm, they didn't notice a swarthy Indian man in robes.

"Finally, I have found my foe," said the Heckler of Skulls.  

Then he, too, teleported; he did not notice that the Senshi of Time was observing the man.  

"And I will make sure that the Moon Princess will be ready."

**Tbc.**


	4. Part Four: And the Band Played On

The Moon and Stars – By DS Wynne 

*******

**Disclaimer: None of the principal characters from "Sailor Moon" and other genres does not belong to me.**

**Note: This is a continuation crossover fan-fiction story.**

**Special note: This story is a crossover between this story and "Ranma the Adventurer."**

*******

**"And the Band Played On…"**

*******

Hundreds of years ago, in India… 

Voormas looked at his mother's dying body, as he tried to cover her up with his blanket.

"Mommy, it will be okay," Voormas said, as he knelt by his mother's side.

The recent plague has been tough on the villages along the Tigress River, more so than in recent memory.  Everyday, the smell of death waft through the land, as the songs of sadness played on.  Every family was touched by Kali, the Bringer of Death, and her mate Shiva the Destroyer, yet everyone accepted their place in the universe as natural.

However, Voormas could not accept this order…WOULD not accept this order.

"Mother, no matter what, you will be avenged!"

A year ago, in Bangladesh…

BOOM!

At the request of the "Euthanatos", a factions of "death-mages", who usually call South Asia home, the Sakura Society, among other cabals, were brought in to deal with the problems caused by an ancient vampire.  "Ravanos" was a vampire god who specializes in the art of illusions, as did his entire bloodline.  Ravanos, being both ancient and powerful, could literally warp reality.  As a result, the "membrane" that separated the Nine Realms has been ruptured, causing all kinds of havoc.  Hence, the Council of the Nine Traditions (or simply, "The Traditions"), a confederacy of independent-minded magi, who possess a variety of magical styles, has called upon their ranks to stop Ravnos, as well as contain the damage that the vampire god was causing.

Unfortunately, Ravnos was not the only problem to deal with.

The ordered minded Technocratic Union (or simply, "The Technocracy"), who believe in "hyper-science" as the only magic that humankind should have dependence on, have sent their agents and soldiers to squash all "reality deviants", which included non-aligned magi, vampires, demons, ghosts, werewolves, etc., besides Ravanos himself.  Luckily, the monsters within the war zone are numerous enough to keep the Technocrats busy to allow the Traditions to do their job.

"I'm reading heavy ectoplasmic activity in sector 7-G, 4-E and 9-A!" Nabiki called out, as her techno-geek partner Tama ("Laughing Star") Nihau relayed the coordinates.  As long as the two maintained their position's defenses, they can prevent Ravanos from spotting their potential offensive.  So far, they have lost ten mages to that monster, while it continued to feed upon anything that moved, which includes any other so-called "denizen of the Dark".  

"Got it!" Tama said, as he adjusted the barriers.  "Man, I wish Kira, for ONCE would turn down our retainer!"

"I know what you mean," Nabiki replied, as she sipped her coffee from a canteen can.  "I'm a hacker…an information broker, not a field operative."

"Most of us aren't, Nabs," Tama replied.  Both Tama and Nabiki were in fatigues, and were dirty and tired from three days of blood, sweat and tears.  "I tell you what, though.  As soon as we're back in Tokyo, I'm going to go club hopping."

"Perhaps," Nabiki replied, as she wiped the grime from her forehead.  She looked up at the stormy, darkened skies.  From what was gathered, this storm was NOT natural. "Hold on second.  I'm getting some incoming data…"

Then, Nabiki's eyes widened.

"What's wrong-" Tama began.

"Trouble!  Switching to all secured frequencies!"

That's when Tama's sensor's picked up something big.

"ATTENTION!" Nabiki began.  "The Technocrats have launched FOUR Neutron bombs!  They're going to nuke the site from ORBIT!"

"Move it!" Tama yelled, as the various acolytes and technicians ducked for cover.  "Nabs, can't we teleport people to safety?"

"Negative!  There is too much supernatural interference!"

Nabiki could hear the roar of the incoming onslaught, as she gathered her data pack.

"Nabiki, come on!" yelled Tama, as he made the final run into the shelter.

Nabiki managed to make one final adjustment in her rote.  As a Virtual Adept, Nabiki Tendo could manipulate space and information.  She was now trying to shunt as much of the potential damage that will be caused by the Technocrats bombs into virtual space.  The act will cause a white out of computer information on the web in that part of the world, but it is better than frying to death.

Nabiki was able to get to her shelter, just as the bomb was about to detonate.  And she did what she hadn't done in years.

She prayed.

"Kami, if I make it out of here alive, I'll be less mercenary to my friends and family…"

And then, there was white-out….

BOOM!

A few hours later, Nabiki crawled out of her hole in a state of shock.  The sun had finally risen in that part of the world, revealing a devastating carnage.  Nabiki would later learn that the Technocracy would both their Neutron bombs and a concentrated dose of sunlight to eliminate Ravnos.  Score one for the Union.

As Nabiki wandered aimlessly, she couldn't help but notice a clocked Indian man.  Casually, the man bent over the various remains, such as they were, gathering their spiritual energy.  He then turned to face Nabiki.

Nabiki felt like her own life was wavering a bit…

"Nabs?"

Nabiki turned to see her pal Tama.

"Nabiki, are you okay?"

"Tama, do you see that man?"

"What man?"

Nabiki looked back to where she saw the Indian.

He wasn't there.

"Oh…" Nabiki said, as she began to feint.

"Nabs?  Nabiki!" Tama cried, as he caught his friend.

Later, she and the other survivors of the Bangladesh incident would receive treatment for spiritual taint, but Nabiki would never forget the Indian man.

Three month ago, in the court of the Heavenly Imperial Court…

Over in the High Realm, Ranma Saotome (of the Tradition "Akashic Brotherhood") and Usagi ("Sailor Moon") Tsukino (of the Tradition "Sons of Ether") were visiting the Jade Emperor.  As an Akashic Brother, Ranma has had the opportunity to continue his martial arts training while studying Japanese-style magic.  However, his magical style was geared towards his martial arts, and rarely on actual spell casting.  Still, the adventures he has faced during his training period among the Akashic, which is why Kami-sama has allowed Ranma to remain on Earth, as given him an insight what was truly evil in the world.

Recently, Ranma had learned that as long as he had a godly aspect, he was a target by dark forces.  After all, he was the Norn goddess of Time and Chaos, which is anathema to the "Nephandi".  The Nephandi, a confederation of mages of serve "Those-Whom-Man-Should-Not-Know", and who hopes to permanently do away with all of Creation, wants to make sure that the Cosmic Wheel, the idea of universal cycles, is permanently destroyed.  By doing so, there can not be life or change in nature.  Ranma's godly aspect is the living embodiment of this, so that makes Ranma a potential target.  So far, none of his friends and family has been caught up in the Traditions' war against Nephandi, but it is only a matter of time before one of these dark magi to try to use, for example, his fiancée Akane Tendo for BAIT.  Ranma had hoped that the Jade Emperor could help him in his need to divest himself of his inner goddess, but… 

"Sir, can you-"

"No, young Ranma.  Your curse is part of who you are," the Emperor replied.  "Besides, you are too much a part of The Way to leave your destiny to chance."

As the two left the Court, Usagi tried to cheer her friend up.  She had met him while she played the role of the superheroine "Sailor Moon", Tokyo's champion of love and justice.

"Don't worry, Ranchan.  I'm sure we will find a way.  The Umbra is a big place."

"I guess so.  Say, you're going to go to school overseas?"

"Yeah.  I wanted to wait until I got the scholarship together before taking the offer to attend the university in Montreal."

At the University of Montreal, the Royal Ethernautical Society holds a program to train members of the Sons of Ether to be "Ethernauts" (i.e. space adventurers).

"Well, it's been a pleasure being your partner, Usagi."

"Me, too, Ranma."

As the two teleported out of the realm, they didn't notice a swarthy Indian man in robes.

"Finally, I have found my foe," said the Heckler of Skulls.  "Once I have control over my Tradition's realm, I can control universal ENTROPY itself.  And once I achieved that…all that remains is to destroy Chaos itself, and that includes the embodiment of Chaos herself."

Voormas calmly puts the hood of his robe back on his head, vowing to destroy Ranma Saotome, as well as the Moon Princess.  After all, the Ether-witch is destined to bring order to a chaotic universe; if that is going to happen, it might as well be HIM. 

Then he, too, teleported; however, he did not notice that the Senshi of Time was observing the man.  

"And I will make sure that the Moon Princess will be ready."

And then she disappeared as well.

A week ago, at the Hermetic College Covenant of Mus, on Umbral-Mercury…

Usagi Tsukino wanted to get the chance to fly solo in one of the lightweight Ether-crafts, ever since she began her pilot's training.  Ether-crafts were designed to travel in both "the Universe" (i.e. conventional space) and in "the Umbra" (i.e. the immaterial planes).  She was really looking forward to her first solo trip.

It's too bad that her first outing was a rescue mission.  It's even worse that the rescue mission involved the universal-destroying Nephandi.

While on her routine flight with her flight instructor, Usagi received a distress signal from Mercury.  Now, at that point in time, the entire planet was over-run by dark forces, so the place was generally off-limits.  Apparently, that was not the case any more, because a cabal of mages from the Tradition known as the "Order of Hermes", a society of mages dedicated to classical, European-style magic, was sent in to retrieve some valuable documents.  Later, Usagi would learn that this particular cabal was chosen for their mission because they once attended the college there, back when Mercury was a stronghold of the Hermetics.  At any rate, as part of a mutual-defense agreement between the Order of Hermes and the Sons of Ether, Usagi and her co-pilot, John ("Lance") Armstrong, were obligated to mount a rescue.  And now…

"Come on!" Usagi cried, as she used her cosmic rod to scorch the dozen of demons who were converging at the drop zone.  She was sorely tempted to use her Sailor Senshi abilities, but she was advised not to.  Apparently, word got out about her destiny, so both the Nephandi AND the Technocracy wanted her, not to mention the chaos magi known as "The Marauders", who seek to do away order, in any form, completely.  "We are leaving!"

The surviving Hermetic cabal piled into the craft, as the Nephandi and their minions converge on their site.  Unfortunately, there were too many people on board for safe lift off.

"Usagi, you take the controls!" John said, as he got out of the cockpit.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to jury-rig the thrust for maximum yield.  It'll burn out the cells, but we have a good chance of making it back to Victoria Station!"

"Victoria Station" was the chief port for the Ethernauts, which exists on both sides of "the Gauntlet" the epidermis that separates the Universe from the Umbra.  Its design is based upon the old Victorian era, when traveling through space, time and otherwise was a gentlemen's pursuit.  Like all mage constructs, its purpose was hidden from "the Sleepers", a term used for those people who did not believe in "magic", which includes both mysticism and hyper-science.

"John, you're crazy!  We'll never launch in time!"

"We got to take a chance, Usagi!  If what these people say is true, then my life is forfeit!"

Usagi looked at her mentor and nodded.  She then prepped for take-off.  As she did, she notice that one of the spare fusion cells were mission from the rack.

"Prepping for take off!" Usagi called.

Lance immediately got to the under belly of the Ether-craft and began to change the safety settings.  Once done, he banged the carriage, and leapt out of the way…

WHOOM!

As the Ether-craft took off, John turned his attention to the incoming danger.

"For Ether Science!" John cried, as he activated the fusion cell…

"ROAR-!"

BOOM!

Usagi's craft sped out, as the section of the old college blew up.  Usagi had heard that the college was once a beautiful place for learning.  It's too bad that it's a den of evil these days.

"I won't let you down, Lance," Usagi said tearfully.  "I'll make you proud of me…"

The present, Los Angeles, California…

"Are you sure we did the right thing, Ranma?" Nabiki said, as she and the rest of the Sakura Society appeared outside of a recently renovated theatre, the Belasco.  It was located in the decrepit section of the city.

"You and I both know that neither one of us could afford to normal lives anymore."

"Yeah…"

"Okay, people," Kirayoshi Yahata, the Go Kamisori Gama ninja began.  "We are about to attend a top-level meeting with the Council of the Nine Traditions, so I want you all to be on your best behavior."

"So that we can get some money of them?" Suki ("Sal") Sumitomo replied dryly.  As a Miao Guan mage, he uses money as a focus for his magic.

"No," Kira replied.

"At least, not YET," Tama muttered underneath his breath.

"I HEARD that!"

"Thank you for those herbs, Mei," Dr. Fukikage, a life magus, said, as he spoke with the renegade Wu Keng Mei Ling.  It still creeped Ranma out that Mei was once a youma worshiper, and that "she" was still a cross-dresser.  Then again HE wasn't one to talk about weird lifestyles.

"The pleasure is all mine, doctor," Mei replied.  Thanks to the rescue network that was arranged for renegade Wu Keng, who no longer want to worship youmas as their master, those freed Wu Keng have returned to their roots as herbalist and spiritualist.  "I just hope to prove my worth to you as a member of the group."

"I'm sure you will, Mei."

After going through some security checks, the group made their way to their seats.  There, on the stage, was the gathered Council of Nine.

However, that's not what caught Ranma's eye.

There, with the Sons of Ether, sat an old friend.

"Usagi…" Ranma muttered.

**Tbc.**


	5. Old Friends

**Sailor Moon: Moon and Stars5 – By DS Wynne**

**

* * *

**

**Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon", "White Wolf" and other genres belong to their respective owners.**

**Note: This is a multi-epic, multi-genre story.**

**Special note: Just want to give you all the "411" on our band of heroes-**

**Sakura Society: a band of mystics and adventurers, based out of Tokyo, Japan, who perform consulting work for either the Council of the Nine Traditions or the Technocratic Union, as long as the purpose is for the good of humanity…though the pay is a good incentive as well. There membership consist of:**

**Ranma Saotome- Akashic Brotherhood (Blue Scales): A talented martial artist who is dedicated in protecting the weak and helpless from evil. Hook up with the 'Society after a run-in with one of the team's numerous enemies, while looking for his would-be sister-in-law Nabiki Tendo. And Ranma happens to have a second identity as the Asgardian goddess "Ranko", thanks to some interference by the Norn sisters. **

**Nabiki Tendo- Virtual Adepts/Syndicate: Nabiki "Ice Queen" Tendo was brought into the world of the mages through a recruiting drive while away in school. Her area of expertise involves using computers as a focus of her magic (think "The Matrix"). She has subsequently joined the mercantile "Syndicate", which uses magic to manipulate the world's economy, as the VA's undercover agent.**

**Kirayoshi Yahata- Go Kamisori Gama: A child hood friend of Nabiki's, "Kira" comes from a long line of mystics who inspired the legends of the ninja. Like Nabiki, she tends to be a bit of a mercenary. Likes to dress in male clothes when possible. **

**Suki "Sal" Sumitomo- Miao Guan: Sal is a renegade member of the "administrative" arm of the "Elemental Dragons" (i.e. the Asian version of the Technocratic Union). Sal is a master of the mental arts, and rivals Nabiki in the arts of outright manipulation. He doesn't known Nabiki's Syndicate cover. **

**Dr. Shin Fukikage- Verbena: a transplanted Japanese American, Shin is a Western-style medical doctor who sought to learn traditional Chinese medicine. Works in the Sakura Society as a means of breaking into the Orient magical societies.**

**Tama "Laughing Star" Nihau- Akashic Brotherhood (Li-Hai): Like Ranma, Tama is a martial artist in his own right. Unlike Ranma, Tama's focus of magic is cutting-edge technology, and frequently works with Nabiki on Akashic/VA joint projects.**

**Mei Ling- Wu-Keng: A renegade, Mei comes from a mystic tradition that promotes female cross-dressing in this all-male magical society. Unlike "her" peers, Mei seeks to free herself from her "youma" masters, and thus joined the Sakura Society shortly after being rescued by them. Unknown to Mei, Kira has an ulterior motive in allowing her to join…**

**Dr. Usagi "Sailor Moon" Tsukino (Sons of Ether): A trained heroine from a young age, Usagi became a "technomage" after meeting her hero, Dr. Ted "Starman" Knight in Opal City. By her 22nd birthday, Usagi earned her advanced degree in Astrophysics at the University of Montreal in Canada (which means that she can speak French and English fluently). Still a bit of a ditz sometimes.**

**Author's note: More details will be forth coming. Stay tuned!**

**

* * *

**

**Part 5: "Old Friends"**

**

* * *

**

After the meeting, the mages decide to mingle a bit before heading out on their assignments. Ranma Saotome, a member of the marital arts mage group known as the Akashic Brotherhood, sighed. For his crew, the Sakura Society, had three missions to complete.

One, go to Concordia, the former central hub for mages within the Nine Traditions, and investigate the so-called "Sphinx", which has been the driving force of much of the mage activity against the Technocratic Union.

Two, sneak unto Copernicus Station, and retrieve the Dagger of Ixion, since it is suppose to have the power to end this crisis.

Finally, three, confront Voormas, the Heckler of Skulls on Pluto, which, unfortunately, amounted to a suicide mission. Voormas is perhaps the most deadly foe ANYBODY can face, being the living avatar of Kali and Shiva.

Ranma has already made his peace with his old life, but he wished to have a moment with Akane again…

"Hey, Ranma," said a voice.

Ranma saw that he had almost bumped into Dr. Usagi Tsukino, who had just received her PhD in Astrophysics at the University of Montreal, Canada. The amazing thing is that in her old life, Usagi was a bit of bimbo when it comes to education. However, after meeting her hero, Dr. Ted Knight, aka "Starman", in Opal City, Usagi had gotten her mind in gear. Now, she was a member of a secret society of super-scientists known as "the Sons of Ether", and was chosen to ferry the Sakura Society to and from their destinations.

"Hey, Usagi," Ranma says. "You seem well."

"Yeah, I guess so" Usagi says. "I mean, with all that's going on…"

"I know, I know."

Nabiki Tendo, a mage in her own right, steps forth.

"Dr. Tsukino, I would like for us to go over the itinerary for our trip…"

The mission to Copernicus Station was to take place after the trip to Concordia. And with so many Technocrats guarding the gates to the ancestral chantry. So…

Istanbul, Turkey.

"Freeze, citizen," said the terminator-like cyborg, as he and his squad fired upon the intruders.

Nabiki had to prep the keys to Concordia, with the assistance of her buddy Tama, while the others fought.

"Nabiki, hurry up!" said Kira, as she and Ranma went through the squadron. Suki and Mei and Sal were protecting Dr. Fukikage and Usagi.

"Um, maybe I can be of assistance," Usagi yells out.

"We can handle the situation, Dr. Tsukino," Kira says.

Usagi shrugged her shoulders, and pulled out her cosmic rod. With a tap of one end, a flash of blue light was produced.

The cyborgs suddenly stopped moving.

Kira turns to Usagi.

"What did you-?"

"Iteration X typically builds their standard cyborg models with a particular flaw, that prevents them from registering objects in blue light. Prof. Egon did a study on it at the last symposium I attended."

"Why didn't you say something before?" Ranma asked.

"Well, no one asked."

"…"

"Okay, people," Nabiki said. "We have full access to Concordia."

"I'm going to re-route these cyborgs' sub-routine," Tama says. "As far as they are concerned, we died."

"Excellent," Kira says. "And Dr Tsukino, please, don't hold back."

"O-tay!"

Concordia, which was a world in and of itself, the size of the Moon, was once the headquarters and meeting place of the Council of the Nine Traditions. The Traditions consisted of desperate mystical societies that range from the mystical to the cutting edge. Like any umbrella organization, there have been problems. And thanks to a crisis from a few years back, the place laid in a state of waste.

Everyone could see the engraved, granite arch that greeted them. It read:

"Welcome to Concordia, the home of the Council of the Nine Traditions."

Usagi shook her head sadly. She had been here before, back when the skies were bright and shiny. It was when she was given the grand tour, as it was customary for new imitates to participate in.

"I'm not impressed," Kira said, as she kicked some debris. Because her magical tradition was not part of the Council of Nine, this was her first visit to this realm.

"You should have seen this place before the Reckoning," Nabiki said. Like Usagi, Ranma, Tama and Dr. Fukikage, Nabiki had been to Concordia; only the Akashic Brotherhood, the Virtual Adepts, the Verbena, the Sons of Ether, the Order of Hermes (i.e. classical Renaissance wizards), the Dreamspeakers (i.e. shamans), the Celestial Chorus (i.e. clerics), Euthanatos (i.e. mystical assassins) and the Cult of Ecstasy (i.e. mystic hedonists) were members of the council, and thus could gain access there.

"Come," Nabiki said. "We have to get to the Council Hall…"

After dealing with the occasional shade, after walking through the ruins, they came upon the council chambers, where the group would find the source of the transmissions from "the Sphinx". Except, it was not empty.

"YOU!" Nabiki cried.

A tall, African-American male stood up from the seat of "Correspondence", the seat of the Virtual Adept. He wore his trademark brown trenchcoat and goatee.

"Hello, Nabs," said the man.

"Who is this?" Kira asked, ready to give the signal to fight.

"This is my Mentor…Dante."

**Fin.**


End file.
